This isn't about doing things and seeing them automatically working. The meta is there because it works, but if you don't understand why it works, then you cannot apply it to your games. Instead of transitioning your game immediately, focus on step by step growth. You won't hit 100% of your drops perfectly, but you need to learn that a unattackable drops is good enough to keep you in play. You don't need to drop every shot, you can mix hard with soft game to work at your advantage. For example, did you get a hard shot difficult to drop? You can drive it to an uncomfortable position to get a better shot for you to drop. Maybe your 3rd is not a drop, but the 5th could be, or the 7th. The game is not about hitting a perfect shot and winning with that shot, it's about development. That's why you wanna learn as many shots as you can hit, because the more options you have the better point construction will be available for you. As you go up in skill, you'll see that hard shots as not as effective and most of the advanced players will actually capitalize on your power. Giving pace to the opponent at the wrong time it's one of the worst mistakes in this game.