Very hard to know, because things happen and there is no way to know the consequences if they had not happened.

Growing up on a destitute horse farm
Being an only boy with 5 sisters
Listening to bluegrass played live every Saturday afternoon at my grandmother's place
There are about ten thousand experiences.

Being sent to prep school despite my objections.

My father died when I was four years old. Not having a father definitely impacted me ane my world view. And while there are many strengths and survival strategies I developed, I believe over all, lacking a father in my life impacted me in many negative ways.

Military prep school
College
Vietnam
Working all over the world
Finding the right woman

Seeing my first Broadway musical I fell in love with at 13, going away to performing arts camp as a teen, going away to college in NYC, falling in love for the first time around 20 (and getting my heart badly broken), taking a writing class on a whim in my 30's, going back to school to study art and graphic design in my 40's, getting cancer last year (in remission since August).