The only thing I can think of to add, is that the amount of time you play makes a big difference. The "Best" I ever was, I was playing a ton of hours, had the wife mad at me for the one and only time that I've been 'flying' and it's about all I was thinking about. I was tough to beat, but I reached a point where I wasn't having fun anymore.
Not saying that's true of everyone, but there is a balance between understanding the ACM and the tricks of the trade and applying them often enough to maintain your edge. I consider myself able to put up a fairly good fight when I run up against a good stick, but I don't fly enough anymore to not suffer from the rust when I'm in that fight.
All that being said, I think the biggest challenge is to continue getting better while not losing sight of having fun each time you fly. It can sometimes be a tough balance, in particular when you are having 'one of those nights' where you feel like nothing is working.
