The idea around tournaments

I have not cashed in 2 weeks and its been weighing heavy on my mind. Now I realize I am playing with 50-100 others where atleast half the field are really, really good. But still. I am a bit "stuck in a rut".

Lets take an assessment of my strengths real quick:

• I dont get invovled with trap hands, especially early
• I am relatively good at grinding up my stack in the early levels
• I accept the "necessary evils" of tournaments, namely that the ratio of your stack size to the blinds dictates what starting hands you can play, and I adhere to it.
• I am a competent HORSE player. (not great mind you, but competent)
• I am an astute strategist, know when to be tactical and when to be in the meta-game.

Let's now take a look down trouble lane. What I can't seem to get a handle on:

• Building a big stack in the middle levels of a tournament (a serious problem)
• Finishing 1st, instead of just in the money. A non-critical issue that I have posted about often.
• ???

And these could go either way:

• Try to keep the pot small when drawing, even at the risk of giving away the draw. i.e., I hate semi-bluffing in online tournaments. I save it for table play.
• When someone makes their miracle card on the TURN, chances are I am going to be fooled.

I am most worried about the "???". I really like my final table/1 table SnG play. Let's leave that for now. And when your in levels 1-2, really, how much can you say about those levels? You play anything from position, hope to get a huge one. Fold the rest.

But that big middle level range. We have all written and read posts about it. Play tight. Look for opportunities to break someone. Don't play trap hands. The articles go on and on. The issue I am struggling with is tight vs. chipping up.

I don't have any insight today. I am just talking outloud in the hopes that I have correctly identified the issue.