Before we even start on the checklist, let us first get some things straight and make no mistake about it: becoming the best and the top WordPress develop is going to be hard work – very hard work. It will take a whole lot of your time energy and will test your patience and determination. So if you are looking for an easy way to the top, then you are mistaken and in the wrong track altogether. Being the best is extremely hard and statistically, the odds will be and are stacked against you. But this is not to mean that it is not doable.

Speaking of installing WordPress, watching some few video tutorials and customizing several themes does not qualify you as an expert. True, your knowledge surpasses that of the average person but being an expert means knowing far beyond the basics and pushing every boundary when it calls for it.

Why should you strive to be a top developer?

Well, why shouldn’t you? If you are working or plan on starting to work with WordPress, there is no point for you to settle for average. Life is full of average and normal as it is. The following however are some reasons you would want to. For example, the top developers;

Make a whole lot of money

The demand for WordPress development is sky high and is gradually increasing with the number of clients willing to pay for the best service there is. And given that there are very few that can meet the demand of creating the best sites, the price charged is off the roof.

Get the best of clients

Look at it this way, when you are at the very top, you can do virtually anything you want, saying no to projects that do not intrigue you and accepting those that do.

Have influence

When you are at the very top, you have the capability and the influence to shape the future of WordPress as a whole. Nothing can stop you when you set your mind to it. The world will just have to conform to your creative mind.

Spend an hour every day reading

If you are ever going to make it to the top, you will need to amass a whole lot of knowledge and information on WordPress. The easiest and the most effective way to do this is by setting aside at the very least  hour each and every day to learn more on WordPress, away from any design and development.

There is no shortcut for you to take – the road to the top is narrow. If you are wondering where the time will come from, well, everyone has 24 hours. You just need to set your priorities straight. If you have been spending three hours watching T.V, cut out some time and dedicate it to your mastering of WordPress. Sacrifice and commitment is much required.

Enroll in a WordPress University

For WordPress mastery, there has never been a better time like this. Today, there are many great resources that are available for those who are willing to put in the effort and time to study them. Note, that before you start gaining experience, you should first get some education. Education will open doors that you never even though existed in WordPress.

Hang out with the right kind of crowd

It is said, ‘show me your friends and I will tell you the kind of person that you are’. It is the same with WordPress – to be the top, spend time with the best in the industry. Follow them on twitter, read their nerdy blogs providing them with your ideas and thoughts. You could also attend talks and read some of their interviews like those on CodePoet. Ask for advice and follow it.

Read and learn the material on WordPress

The amount of material available on WordPress for you to read is a lot. There is a lot of noise being made by those talking about WordPress every waking day that it is becoming increasingly to keep track of the important information. There are however authorities that you should be loyal to when you make the decision to commit to the mastery of WordPress. Find yourself the top quality resources and stick to those.

Understand the technology used

If you are going to stand a chance in becoming the best WordPress Developer, then you will have to understand the technology used. If you are a programmer already, then MySQL and PHP should not be new to you. If you are however new to the languages, start the learning process.

Conclusion

To be the best developer of WordPress sites, you will have to have a mind-set of gradual improvement and the willingness to work hard and give it your all. Start with focusing on education and then move to development and gaining some real world experience. You will also need to be dedicated to the WordPress Community.