The best piece of advice I can give to the novice and the expert is this: continue to go outside your comfort zone. One of the best ways to do this is to hack your camera.
A hack, in the simplest sense, is finding ways to use a product for something besides the intended purpose. In digital photography, this can mean installing software to override your camera's factory set perimeters. Without any knowledge of programming, I've been able to shoot in RAW, tweak my brackets, and even make
HD time lapse videos using free software available online. All this, with a Canon Powershot S3 IS point-and-shoot camera. A google search of hacks for your camera should lead to some interesting possibilities.
Even without new software, there are always ways to mechanically alter your camera for exciting new photographs. The beauty of hacking your camera is that you can expand your portfolio and your knowledge without investing in new equipment. Anyone can take better photos with a better camera, but a true artist will constantly push the boundaries of his medium.