NEVER Stop Learning

This answer, which we received repeatedly, is by far one of the best pieces of advice for newbies in the development field: never stop learning. This truly is one to keep in mind as you tread through this new world, because working in a field as dynamic and fluid as development, you can quickly fall behind if you do not actively strive to stay ahead of the curve. Without somewhat of a dedicated effort on your part, your progress could stall, and your skills and work could stagnate.

Once again, the online community and so many others have your back in this respect. So many wonderful books, blogs and other accessible resources are teeming with knowledge, just waiting to be absorbed and passed on. So, read. Implement and practice what you have learned. As noted in the replies below, trial and error is a fantastic method of self-teaching. You might even go so far as to schedule some kind of weekly assignment for yourself, to always keep your skill set growing.

* Start with examples and muddle around with them. Change every line of code to see what it does. Then learn why those things work.
* Be a sponge. Don’t let pride get in the way of learning from others.
* Never stop learning.
* Read. Oh god, read so many books on the subject that force you to practice things over and over again.
* Learn how to learn for yourself.
* Never think you’ve learned it all.
* Don’t pretend you know all. Blogs and forums are your best teacher.
* Read the docs. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Test. Learn.
* Don’t copy and paste. Learn.
* Always have a project on the go. It makes sure you keep learning.
* Learn by putting as much as possible into practice.
* Always learn more. You should never be 100% content, and always strive to constantly improve your skills.
* Never stop developing their skills.

http://www.nakulanand.com
SRC: www.smashmagazine.com