Without the six steps, I think only one step, don't mind about merit, instead mind about your discussions and build them up as best as possible. When you don't mind about merit, merit will more easily come to you.
I'd say:
1. Put some effort into your posts, annacdotal or actual evidence can go a long way in certain discussions.
2. Involve yourself in discussions quite a bit - often you earn merits if you offer your opinion in some discussions, if it's generic and useless then it's generic and useless and you won't get anything but normaly if you're not after anything with a discussion then that's the time you can get the merited.
What is it with the merit threads recently - feels like 2018 all over again. I thought everyone knows by now that the best way to earn merits is to be in the cycling club.
Is it a merit a mile (someone's being really healthy)!? 
Is my topic intent not that obvious that I need to manually state that it's purely sarcasm?
Sorry, my voice of consciouness also missed this
it's very monotonous when reading test... Putting a *sarcasm* sign helps occasionally (even in tiny font).