What is the one thing that helped you improve the most?

Not worrying about rating. Just playing more games. Playing on longer time controls.

Then watching chess lectures on youtube as an outside source of information.

Rise wrote: "for some people, improvement IS the point - the day i feel i have reached my peak is going to be the day i stop playing regularly,"

The statement only confirms my point.

Some people play for rating points, others play for the enjoyment of the game. For hobbyists (99.5% of us), chess should not be about "proving" anything to the opponent. Self gratification through improvement is good stuff. That someone would stop regular play after maxing out their rating is baffling. Did they ever enjoy playing or was it all about "proving" something?

>>What is the one thing that helped you improve the most?<<

Systematic study of endgames and tactics.

let's not confuse "improvement" with "gaining rating points" - it's related, but they are not the same goal.

by "improvement" i mean the continuous feeling of "i learned something that i didn't know". by "peak", i mean the point where i somehow just can't manage to learn anything new, then yeah it's over for me.
thankfully, i still have a lot of time (hopefully) before i get too old or something and that happens.

that has absolutely nothing to do with proving anything to the opponents, and is also not directly connected with rating gains. i am not trying to get a title and i'd keep pushing even if i somehow got one.

One thing I learned by myself and that has helped me greatly through the years is that you don't have to do anything fancy. Just play simple chess, improve your pieces and add pressure on your opponents weaknesses. Eventually you will crumble. If you insist on playing like Tal you will lose many games.

@Rise... fair enough
But have you not ever then asked yourself "Why am I playing?"
Just to learn something new ? To what end ?
It seems to me, people on a quest, who search for knowledge, deeply enjoy their chosen topic. Along with the gains of knowledge comes the enjoyment. Eventually, we all reach a limit. That's no time to give up the quest if the ride has been true. That's my opinion anyway.
Ratings may suffer, due to age or lack of practice etc. No need to give up an enjoyable hobby.

There will always be something new to learn.
In any endeavor.
Therefor chess is a lifelong pastime, always something found :-)

yeah, i definitely get your point.

while i don't believe in things like "chess is good for you" and "high rating = smart" (in the big picture, it's just a silly hobby like most others), i am indeed pretty enthusiastic about chess for what it is in itself - a game with simple rules, but a lot of breadth and depth.

after i peak i don't see myself as one of these old people playing in the park, but maybe i could pass on my knowledge to the youngsters :p i suppose i'll only really know when i get there.

Good show. Enthusiasm is great. Chess needs a new direction in promotion. Chess is not for nerds only. Anybody can play.

Coffee house chess. A relaxing pastime.

To the OP's question: What has helped the most?

My answer: Understanding that the game takes place on a 8X8 board. The 2 colors help differentiate the diagonals, but are irrelevant to space.

It's simple to say: Pieces nor pawns can move outside the border, but the consequences define the game.