Learn by doing, host your own email, host a small low traffic site. And when crap hits the fan, dont run to the message boards asking for help, trouble shoot, work the problem out. It will take you 3 times as long to fix your problem BUT you will learn a hell of alot more than getting help from someone else. But theres no shame in asking questions if you get stuck.
Learn to troubleshoot and everything else is cake.
