Well, since there are 10,000 good flavors of Buddhism in the world today, people obviously have found 10,000 answers to the question.
There are certain teachings that almost all share, however, such as the insights into Dukkha and a path of cure for Dukkha, Impermanence and Non-self, the need to leap past the little "self" with all its mental desires, frictions and divides, the need to be free of the poisons of excess desires, anger and violence, and divided thinking in ignorance, others too.
Beyond that, one can mix the medicine many ways: Do you wish or need to be a celibate monastic living a life of strict regulation or out-in-the-world and treading carefully, are you a believer in many of the more magical and fantastic elements of the religion or rather modern and skeptical of such bits, do you wish to sit Shikantaza Zazen or Introspect on a Koan or engage in Vipassana or head to Tibet and visualize ferocious manifestations of Buddhas in one's meditation (or not meditate at all, and simply have faith in Amida Buddha), the many medicines suited to different patients. I suppose that, ultimately, one must simply find what resonates in one's heart and suits one's own illness (or perhaps just put stock in some teacher or Guru who will tell you what's right and why everybody else is wrong!
).
Gassho, J
STLah
PS - A lovely face, Andrew!