earn your spurs

earn (one's) spurs

To prove one's skill in a particular area. Once you've watched the triplets for an entire day, then you'll have earned your spurs as a caretaker, as far as I'm concerned. After getting my bachelor's degree, I earned my spurs as a teacher by working in underfunded urban schools.
See also: earn, spur
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

earn your spurs

or

win your spurs

mainly BRITISH
COMMON If you earn your spurs or win your spurs, you show you are capable of doing something well, and can be relied on to do it well in the future. How did he earn his spurs for the toughest police job in the country? Kampelman had won his spurs as U.S. negotiator at the Madrid talks. Note: In medieval times, when a man was made a knight, he was sometimes given a pair of golden spurs.
See also: earn, spur
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

win/earn your ˈspurs

(formal) become successful or famous: You’ll win your spurs as a teacher if you can control class 5.
See also: earn, spur, win
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • earn
  • earn (one's) spurs
  • earn spurs
  • spur
  • win (one's) spurs
  • win one's spurs
  • win your spurs
  • win/earn your spurs
  • worthy of the name
  • be half the (something) (one) used to be
References in periodicals archive
"You have to earn your spurs. You have to step to the line, you have to step up and be counted.
Brum gangster saw 59 deaths in Panama jail
EARN YOUR SPURS Alli and Kane could make Man United suffer at Wembley and, below, Chelsea striker Giroud is aiming to shoot down Southampton
2 CAPITAL CRACKERS; Spurs and Chelsea to set up Wembley returns
EARN YOUR SPURS TOTTENHAM'S disappointing league loss to Leicester saw them falter just when it looked like they could mount a title challenge.
THE DUGOUT Ed Malyon's top tips on who to pick and who to leave out of your Fantasy Football team this season @eaamalyon
"You earn your spurs in trucks." Hazel continued, adding, "We intend to stay dominant in the truck business." All of the truck business: personal as well as commercial.
Ford gets tougher in trucks
Or earn your spurs on a coach holiday through Arizona and Utah.
Holiday 2005: Coaching's in; AVOID AIRPORT ANXIETY BY DISCOVERING THE COMFORT AND JOY OF THE OPEN ROAD