The trader is the edge; continuous evolution as a trader is important. To evolve, one's execution efficiency must progressively improve.
Efficiently executing and refining your strategy becomes unfeasible with strategy hopping and without diligent journaling.
Sticking to a strategy/system and journaling is not a sham. At the initial stage of my trading journey, I honestly didn't see any reason to do any of the above, but now I clearly see why they are very important steps for a trader looking to become profitable.
Your work as a trader is to gather data. It's important to note that most of the questions above can't be effectively answered by your mentors; you will usually find answers to them through your own experience with the market—data from trading your system.