definately aim to be beating the game for a better rate before moving up.

I don't place a whole lot of trust in PTR's figures, but a quick check shows the top winner for all time at 10NL has a win rate of ~12bb/100 over 750,000 hands (screw playing nl10 for that long hey?). There is also numerous players in the 7-10bb/100 range over 200K+ hands. I would also guess there's hundreds that acheived that and moved up after only 20-30K hands.

I would consider that the discipline and patience required to fold 2nd bests is a skill that doesnt necessarily have to be developed at the poker table, just applied there. I developed a good chunk of my discipline by slaving over a piano for hours mastering chopin when i was barely into my first year of highschool. You can consider concepts from the rest of your life and make them work for you at the table.

As far as poker specifically, making a fold is good for your psyche and it will keep you on your A game. Even if you got bluffed, chances are the villain wont show and thats when you kick in some arrogance and tell yourself that you were 100% right and made a great lay down. You'll be filled with confidence in your game and make better decisions in the coming hands.

Beyond that, I'm playing the same level as you at the moment, and while I think there's money to be made by soul reading, its not very much. The bulk of the profit is coming from villains that spaz into your made hands or call your raises with obvious second bests.

Next time you have a decent hand and villain bets $3 into you on the river when its gone flush, consider that at the 2bb/100 winrate that your currently logging, your going to need to play 1500 more hands to cover that $3 if he has a flush. Or you can fold, watch him muck, believe your right that he had a flush and love that he called the flop and turn with horrendus odds.