Earn (one's) stripes informal verb phrase
To get a position through hard effort and experience.
Peter has yet to earn her stripes as a footballer.
Linda's earned her stripes by serving for years as a manager.
Deserve the pay or reward that you get because you do well
The verb "earn" should be conjugated according to its tense.
This phrase refers to a military promotion or reward, which is marked by chevron or braid strips affixed to the recipient's uniform and has been known as stripes since the early 1800s.
To do something in an unusual way
I guess I like to run against the grain in everything I do.