I'm learning more about UX every day, and I'm adding layers of experience to these fundamentals that I practice with every project:
Research
I survey the terrain, peer into my UX toolbox, and determine which methodologies will serve me best at getting to the heart of the matter. If I use those and they aren't getting me anywhere, I reset and keep trying.
"Peel the onion until you cry" My favorite quote about research from Donald DeSantis - move past the shallow observations, so you can get to the good stuff.
Synthesis: This is where the UX magic happens!
I never thought I could love post-its any more - and then I learned the art of affinity mapping. The light bulb went off for me in my first project, when the takeaway themes showed me that dinner party hosts want a timeline, not just another list generator. I'm hooked and now I'm that team member who urges "trust the data!" when we have a long way to go and others might want to move straight into design.
Design
The world of design is open to me as I clutch my user findings tight and take the leap into the unknown. Those insights, though - they will be my parachute and will steer me to the safety of usefulness and delight if I let them.
Delivery: Iterate...Test...Iterate...Repeat!
UX Design is never really finished. While you do work within constraints of time and budget, there is room for change and improvement, either within a design sprint or spread out over a number of product releases.