Beware, also, of arguments to the effect: "This is the way it worked for us."

Millions of young and middle-aged (and a good fraction of older) people particularly in the U.S. are getting a lesson in this right now.

"Pay your dues." In one way, there's still wisdom in this. You don't know as much as you think you know. Don't just charge off the cliff. On the other hand, if this means consistently, persistently doing less than you could, kowtowing to bores/boors who even you can see are not part of the solution. Well, I'll just warn you: The atrophy becomes self-perpetuating.

The trouble is, when you're young, you do have a lack of perspective. And sometimes such people are very influential, controlling figures in one's life. And emotions are deep-seated, tricky buggers once established.