Draw like a demon.
Observe life.
Don't draw Mickey Mouse.
Don't draw "characters".
Draw from life, then design your characters based on what you observe.
Study film...guys like Akira Kurosawa, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Berman, Federico Fellini, David Lean, John Ford, and Frank Capra. Study Miyazaki, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bill Tytla. Analyze what makes design appealing...check out Maurice Noble, Mary Blair, Eyvind Earle, J.P.Miller, Ty Wong. But always start with a strong story, whether it's comics OR animation.
Without a strong story, you're spinning your wheels.