Then of course there is a time for humor.
aircraft on approach..”approach do you know our landing sequence?”
controller..”yes I do”
aircraft..”well would you share it with us?”
controller..”well if you ask me again your LAST”

A few others that any pilot will tell you get drilled into your head as you train:

+ Never be afraid to ask for help
Despite their best effots, pilots – at times – find themselves in tough situations or even those they aren’t trained to handle or aren’t good at handling. Pilots are told to ask for help. Ask ATC for help. Declare an emergency even if you need to. Don’t be afraid to say “this is too much for me I need help”.

+ Never stop learning
“A pilot’s license is a license to learn” is kind of the FAA’s mantra for new pilots and it’s true. Pilots usually go back up often with instructors or on their own to challenge their skills and to build new ones. You never stop learning.

+ Criticize yourself and accept the criticism of others
Every pilot, new and old, judges every landing, every flight, every turn and maneuver. We sit in a plane with instructors for HOURS and get needled on every takeoff, landing, stall, approach, and simulated emergency. Analyze your work and when someone who’s more experienced or is your superior or is just a colleague analyzes/critiques yours, be open to it.

+ You don’t know everything
Pilots take written, oral, and performance (checkrides) exams. In fact, just to stress us, we get asked questions during that checkride while dealing with a heavy workload and the nevousness and excitement over the fact that in a few hours, after MONTHS of hard work, you’ll be the newest pilot in the USA. Just when you think you got it 100% right and are cruising right along, the instructor will come up with a new question or situation that you don’t get right. You don’t know everything…admit it.

+ You have not been trained for or seen everything. When that happens, trust the training you have been given.
When I was filling out my paperwork for the pilot certificate, the school administrator looked at me and said, “We didn’t teach you everything you’re going to see. There will be a situation you are in or have to deal with that we didn’t practice with you. Use your training and your skills to make the SAFEST decision and go with it and you’ll be fine.”

+ Don’t be afraid to say “this isn’t right” and take another or alternate…literally.
If you are going to fly in poorer weather, you are required, by law, to have an alternate airport to land at if the weather is poor enough. I think “have a backup plan” is pretty easy to get from that one…

…however…When in the clouds and you can’t see the ground, we fly instrument approaches, which are specified procedures that dictate your course and safe altitudes to fly at until you can get below the clouds and see the airport to land at. There is a point on all of these called the “missed approach point” where if you can’t see the runway at that point at that altitude, you are required, by law, to “go around”. You fly a published route at specified altitudes back to a safe point and you hold at that point. If Plan A isn’t working, maybe it’s worth another shot, but you may have to go to Plan B. Have a Plan B, pick a point where you say “Plan A is no more” and use your Plan B if needed.

+ Any landing you can walk away from is a good one
Yeah, this is a hokie pilot thing to say, but sometimes, getting the job done, even if it’s not pretty is the important thing.