Ahoy Jon! For the longest time until recently, I used to be a script kiddie. Taking bits and pieces of someone elses hard work, compiling it together and using it was an everyday thing for me.

But one thing I've started doing which has made my knowledge expand very fast is to take those scripts and instead of just using them, read through them. If there was a function or operation I didn't understand, I would look it up. I would then rewrite the coding in my own style and format, while at the same time trying spice it up and also make it easier for someone else to understand. If I hit any bumps, I'd look online for suggestions.

I bought two books a year ago (Sam's Teach Yourself PHP, MYSQL and APACHE All in One and PHP and MYSQL Bible) and read through each of them twice but still couldn't put the knowledge to the test. And since I couldn't make any scripts, I started forgetting all of it. The books mean nothing without the experience to reinforce them.

My suggestion? Try doing a freelance job for some friends, family or co-workers. If they pay you, great. But don't solicit for money. Just let them know that you need to do it for the experience and professional portfolio. That will put you in the motivational mindset to not only succeed, but take your knowledge to an even higher standard.

For example, using this method, in the past two months I've gone from a 2, to a 7 out of 10 with my knowledge and understanding of php.