Best way to Improve

I've always considered myself good at Chess but after playing online for a bit I realize I'm really, really poor at the game.

I lost like 6 games in a row and am curious what the best way to improve is. I am pretty much playing on pure intuition right now and am making ridiculous mistakes and am even losing games in 6 moves .... it's unbelievably discouraging.

What are the first baby steps on improving your chess game? 

i start with 600 rating playing just with my mind-no tutorials watching(i start with 10min games, now i have around 1300 for 5 min game, not much but is double) .First step was learning openings then tactics and strategy.Hope this help!

Losing games in six moves... maybe you need to learn the base opening principles? 

1.Develop minor pieces (knights before bishops)

2.castle (usually kingside)

3.Connect the rooks by moving the queen.

4.Principle of maximum activity (also effects the center)

5.Least active piece.  Don't move a piece twice unless it's threatened.

6.Breaking the balance.  If the opponent does a silly move then you can do something back that is also silly but has a refuting logic to it.  Note that not all refutations to silly moves are themselves silly.  1.e4,Na6 2.d4! a simple occupation of the center and black is up the creek without a paddle. 1.e4,f5?? 2.exf5 white should win by force since the king is open, the f-pawn greatly cramps black's kingside, and white has all the positional and material trumps already. 

Thanks for the replies. I need to study the basic openings and follow those concepts of castling, connecting rooks and developing knights and bishops. My practice has been quite inefficient without goals.