Got interested at age 8 by my mother teaching me chess. Stayed with it for a few years, she never beat me again after that 2nd match. Lost interest in it as I got older. Came back to it in college and was actually better at it then and not worse, was with it for a few more years. Just came back to it about 5 months and not leaving it again. Bought F-12 and reinstalled CM X and doing a lot better now than ever before. As far as rating goes, only thing I have to refer to that is my Online Chess rating which is 1520.
How did you progress in chess?

I did't realize that chess is a rule independent game at the same time I always thought "Such a simple game..so it's all calculations and memorization then" for 7 years!!! I was materialistic and did't realize that not all defences and threats are real! Observation was something that went on almost unconcious level.
What do you call that!?
Call that " the force " Luke.
for me, I started to play at live chess last year and I had a rating of 1000, now I am 1120, but I had a more significantly improve at Online Chess, from 1300's to 1600's, now I am 1606. I am in this website for about 11 months with a free account.
But then I went to a website where there is 10 puzzles 4 u to solve and it tells u approximately your FIDE rating, then I got 1785. So, that was my improvement.
After a year, my rating was 1500-ish, and now, early into the second year, I'm just over 1600.