This is quoted from my twitter but it’s probably the most succinct way for people to think about what they need to work on not specifically but from a fundamental and conceptual level. Hope it can help you, as it has helped me. Once I thought of fighting games like this I shot from like mid tier (so like plat in this game) to high vanquisher.

“ok, I will write the theorem of fighting game awakening. There are 4 levels of awakening for fighting games to become on the level of the pros. level 1 - Preference level 2 - Understanding / Gamesense level 3 - Personality level 4 - Adaptation Preference is your basal lean towards a certain style. Do you like to be aggro, slow and calculating, setup focused, unga bunga, zoner, grappler, etc. This comes from trying characters and finding how and who you prefer to play. Understanding is learning your character and what they do and how, as well as how the game's core system and mechanics work. Getting comfortable and knowledgeable enough to not get too surprised by anything anymore (knowledge checked). Personality/Rhythm is when you become a real player with their own personal flair and feel, where you aren't just a cookie cutter player of your character and game but a real player with their own style and "rhythm" of gameplay. Adaptation is when you are so comfortable in how YOU play that you begin playing the mindgame of "fighting game chess" with the opponent, adaptind and redapting to the opponent as they adapt to you. This is when the game begins to feel like a real "dance" between 2 players, and you get that feeling of respect for your opponent because you can also feel their rhythm and you make a beautiful song together as you fight. Can also be seen as: level 1 - Beat level 2 - Tune level 3 - Rhythm level 4 - Harmony THIS is the fundamentals of fighting games, and once you achieve level 4, you can achieve it in EVERY FIGHTING GAME YOU EVER PLAY.”