How do I know if I'm actually improving in chess?

What will you do when you reach 1400? What about 1600? or 2000? The answer is that you will be asking the same exact questions ..." Why can't I seem to reach xx00?".

For most of us in the chess world it is a game. The more you play the more you will improve, but it's going to be the same amount of fun as long as you are playing within your rating. That's what the rating really does for you: It lets you play others within your playing level. As you improve, so do your opponents. Even if it feels like you are making no progress, I can almost guarantee that you are.

When I was 12 my dad gave me a guitar, a book of chords, and a few songs with lyrics and chords. After several months, I complained to him that I wasn't getting anywhere. He told me to flip the guitar around and do some chord changes left-handed. Obviously the strings are upside down, but he made his point when I attempted to make chord changes and I struggled. He told me "That is were you started."

So now you're 1300. Go back and play some 1000-1100 players. You will probably feel like you are in total control. It is all relative in chess and in life.

Just play and enjoy. Keep watching lessons and doing puzzles, but do it for fun, man. Don't get upset if "everyone" moves up faster than you.

Keep your head up and keep studying and with enough experience you can easily get where you want.

Right now you probably are not improving but there are ways to fix that.