Got a bright young person in the family? If so, steer him or her to Marc Andreessen’s blog, where he has a series of posts with career advice. Start here, then go here, and then here.
Looking back on my own career, which I’ve conducted without the benefit of Marc’s advice, I’ve been at my best when I was (inadvertently) following his guidelines. One of my sons turned me on to Marc’s blog, and I’m forwarding the link to the other son. Highly recommended.