What does it take to be a good engineer?

[Kevin Ainsworth]

A good engineer learns why something works the way it does.
You must understand how all the interactions play their part and affect each other.
If you recite what someone else said, that doesn't mean you understand it.
Learn each thing firsthand for yourself so you truly understand it.
Then understand how these different principles work with or against each other.
Fully understand the problem before coming up with a solution.
All the book smarts in the world won't get you to the finish line.
Theorizing and arguing won't teach you anything.
Testing, prototyping and understanding will take you a long way.
In the end, it comes down to experience.