Just for a little bit of irony.... Once you get the muting out of your way when it comes to playing open chords, then you get to start learing how to accuratly put the mutes back into the mix to expand your musical posiblities. I know....it seems odd, but so it goes.

Don't worry about the future and where you are in terms of learning. Just keep working at the skill that is in front of you at that moment. If you keep practicing you will grow those technical ablities like magic. One foot in front of the other does it. Soon you will be raking riffs, chiming harmonics, and developing tonal ablities that will surprise you.