Welcome to flyertalk.

Group your thinking into three areas. Getting miles. Using miles. Getting elite staus. These are all interrelated, especially 1 and 2. For some, status is not that important. For others it is crucial.

Anyway, start with a goal. You want to go to Tokyo and Sydney and stay in hotels for free for 7 nights. Or you want to take your significant other on an African safari. Or there is a hotel in a magazine you want to stay in.

Once you have your first goal in mind start researching how to get it. Who flies to Sydney? What kind of miles do I need to get that? Who allows stopovers? What are my hotel options? Now work backwards and figure out how to get what you need. Going through this process will get you familiar with how things work, and for your second goal you will be efficient.

Some things are no brainers. You need a chase card (or several) linked to Ultimate Rewards. But, for the most part, there are no shortcuts. Read, learn, ask, and, eventually, contribute.