The phrase "Use your ears" is per se a right and important one.
But ears are far from being enough.
You have to multiply 100+ years of sound engineering x thousands pro sound engineers.
The result?
TIPS & TRICKS that no ear can acheive without that tradition and accumulated experience.
So, yes use your ears, but if you can, ask some top sound engineer, he could give you some secrets (resulting from millions hours of tradition in pro studio work) that can make the difference.

However, all the techniques and tricks in the world mean nothing without using your ears. Besides, there are eight million ways to skin a cat. A Lord Alge tip might not work for some music, as an Albini tip might not work for others. How do you know which one is right for you and the music you are working on? By using your ears. That's how.

Someone once mentioned on these forums that you have to train your brain to understand what your ears are hearing. Then, you have to know what to do about what you are hearing. I wish I could remember who that was...

Your ears are tools. No matter what tools you are referring to, just having them isn't enough. You have to know how/when to use them. And, you have to know what they can do.

Cool! Poet Tree!

Mixing is a 4 step process.
1. listen to what you have
2. envision what you want
3. determine the difference between the two
4. set the equipment/plugins to make that difference happen.

If you don't know what your listening to, or you don't know what your equipment does, you will be lost.

5) Brighten it up more!