Practice is essential. My game improved when I started buying multiples of the same lock. As LPL said, learn to pick locks, not a lock. A range of tools helps, I have a few different tension wrenches I made out of wiper blade. With basic tools it’s easy and rewarding to make these and they do make life easier. Good tension control is really important as it lets you feel what is happening in the lock. I wouldn’t spend a fortune on picks at the start, your skills are probably weaker than your tools, though having said that, sometimes you do need the right pick for the job. I have an American Lock clone with such a tight keyway I’ve only picked it twice. With a thinner pick it would probably be easy. Bosnian Bill said “if what you are doing doesn’t work, try something else”, so try a different tension wrench or pick, or start on a different pin. It’s easy to keep picking the same lock and thinking you are improving in lock sport. You may have just learned how far to push each pin on that one lock to get an open.

As with everything, practice, practice, practice, oh, and have fun.