1. Figure out what kind of a quilter you want to be and work towards that goal....but don't be surprised if you don't change your mind!
2. Don't try to force yourself to do work you don't love. Life's too short. Everything you work on is a learning experience so if a project doesn't work out as you planned, as long as you learn something from it it's a success.
3. Avoid trendy fabrics when building a stash, and don't build one if you aren't going to work from it. I do applique and scrap style quilts so a stash works for me. However, if I only made specific projects I would avoid it.
4. If you are a stash builder only buy high quality fabrics that you really love. Don't buy it just because it's a bargain, there's a reason it's on sale.
5. Learn technique! I once had a sewing teacher who told us that she was going to teach us the rules so we would know how to break them. If you ever want to win a competition you have to have good technique.
6. The most important thing is to do your own work and don't be intimidated by people who say they know more than you do. They may know more about quilting than you do, but you know more about yourself. Be true to that!