To me, the idea of learning something on each and every ride is one of my favorite things about motorcycles. I've only been riding for 5 years, around 140,000 miles, but whereas 2 years ago, I felt like I was making great progress, now I feel almost empty. Whereas before I knew so much, now I know that what I knew is minuscule compared to what I could know. It's the best feeling to string together a series of corners, to smile to myself in my helmet as I've already anticipated someone's idiot move and compensated for it, to cruise smoothly between groups of cars on the freeway, doing 4 over, safe from idiots and speeding tickets. I've learned a lot in the last 5 years, but I hope that I can learn so much more in the decades of riding I plan on doing in the future.
Every time you swing leg over a bike, on the street, the track, the dirt, you should be working on or learning more about something. To have those skills pay off in the future is the best feeling in the world. I can have a horrible day, but mount my motorcycle and cruise off and enjoy the feeling of accelerating out of a corner, planning the best line I can through a corner, working on anticipating and avoiding other drivers, etc.
It's been quite awhile since I've had a close call, and that makes me very happy. When I was a new rider I went through the same anger at people who could be so inconsiderate/oblivious, only to learn that the important thing was avoiding the situation entirely. I realized that my anger at them was misplaced, when it should be directed at me for letting them even get close to me.
The golden rule of riding for me is:
Even when you're right (of way), you're wrong if you're involved in an accident.