I find myself wondering what other things you consider 'disproven pieces of "common sense"'.

I had in mind a combination of the Cambridge Summerville youth study, the massive body of research that working more hours isn't good for productivity, and the (admittedly currently ongoing) research into personal relationships which is showing a marked improvement in relationship outcomes for couples who live together before getting married.

Propaganda

> but I had this (perhaps naive) idea that if I became an excellent practitioner in whatever I did the money would follow.

It wont.

I created an account to reply.

A YEAR! MF! That's meant to be long! FTS! A friend is someone you have validate of ten or twenty years of shared adventure. Treat everyone else as a possible friend (and likely tosser).