Hang out with knowledgeable more experienced pilots with high standards - consider doing a flying club. Book some time with an instructor every now and then , and ask him to get you to do some challenging things. The last time I did this , he made me fly back to the airports without ailerons, on just thrust and rudder, do a full circuit, and then handing me the controls mid final.
Arrange to fly as a copilot with this sort of pilot and you will learn a lot - welcome their comments.
I find always prepping cross country flights in the same way I did my training keeps my skills up - this includes complying with all legal and planning regs, as well as weather checks etc.
Do some long trips which require planning and lots of procedural flying into Class C and D airspace. I took myself across Austraia twice , including flying into Capital city airports and military bases, learning how to submit flight plans on my iPhone etc.
Do extra qualification such as night or PIF ratings
Read a lot of Magazines and accident reports.
Last edited by Mimpe; 3rd January 2015 at 09:43.
Reason: Every two years I read the VFR handbook cover to cover prior to my bi-annual