I will say, that there is a lot one can glean from putting the pressure on yourself to perform. Enough time and pressure will produce a diamond. I also feel that associations tend to rub off on people in pool, just like life. So if you surround yourself and associate with higher caliber people, your caliber will naturally raise to your surroundings. The same will happen if you surround yourself with low brow. So if you only associate with bangers, then your caliber will gravitate to that level as well.
The common theme on both sides of this gambling vs drilling discussion is one fundamental aspect: Table time. Pool works like a caloric economy. The more you put into it, the larger the yield from your labor.
But the entirety of pool is like a whale. It's massive in scale. And how does one best eat a whale? One bite at a time. Watching someone else eat won't stop you from starving. Watching someone eat will not necessarily teach one how to fish.
Most people learn very well from watching other people do something...I know I do. Johnnyt