I left out a step? Ummmm....practice some more?
Training. I'd take a 2-3 day beginners gun handling fundamentals class first.
Then a lot of practice.
I've seen guys who've been shooting for years, just practicing bad habits. They've burned up thousands of rounds of ammo, are unsafe, and still lousy shots.
One excellent instructor and IPSC marksman who conducts terrific classes is Bruce Gray.
http://www.grayguns.com/docs/about.htm