choose your battles
This is an invaluable lesson indeed!
It also helps to be able to learn from those who have already done the hard graft.
They, whoever they are, always say this, and in hindsight it makes sense. But as I read you and as I read some of my philosophy texts, the emphasis is always on experiencing it yourself. You will always get advice from people, and you will always say "if only I knew xyz". But the best teacher is experience, as you said. Even though it might be a bitter pill to swallow!
So let us hope for rain, and that we may learn from our "mistakes" (I do not think they are really, matter of perspective), and that we do not keep on making the same errors.
Sorry, the reply is very messy 🤣 I have been doing research for my PhD and my head is swimming all over the place.