Above my intellectual pay grade
I've been continually discouraged recently with various projects and endeavors. I've found that - while "stupid" is too strong of a word, "ignorant" should suffice - I will likely be unable to pursue certain paths while yielding positive results. "An intellectual FAIL," one might say.
It is not just in the realm of code, but well beyond it. I have a tendency for drama, I suppose, but it is still overwhelmingly clear that spreading oneself thin makes for... well, a rather thin layer. I've contemplated throwing the towel (and the water bottle, and the spit bucket, and half of the locker room) at my studies, my teaching and my projects and just hide under a rock, preferably with a lake-side view. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of lakes here.
If I would ever write a help book, I'd start it off with "Pace yourself." and end it there. That is clearly the most important lesson to teach, and the easiest for me to forget. However, does pacing actually relieve intellectual deficiencies? I'd like to see a test case that covers that, preferably in nice Devel::Cover colored HTML output.
Gots to do the bloggingz
Intellectual deficiencies? What are you talking about dude?
As you said, when you carry a ton of stuff, the weight can be a little overwhelming, and you might find your pace somewhat reduced (be happy it hasn't stopped altogether!).
You're a clever guy, but some things simply take more time and effort than we'd like.
I believe most people can do quite well in most things; but for every one of us, some things take more effort than others things.
It's often easier to stick with what comes more easily to you, or to make "half attempts" at that which is more difficult and not as rewarding.
Not a unique problem :)
And the solutions are also just as disingenuous.
Keeping the pace manageable is clearly a good advice, but persistence and hard work are just as important.
You're doing some great stuff, don't let difficulties and set-backs discourage you!
It's not so much pacing yourself as learning to say no more than you say yes. You only have so much time in a day, so don't waste it. :)
I'd say "Don't whine, JFDI" and grin to it.
I know how bad it is when you are overcommitted. My standard way to deal with that is to try to prioritize and eliminate the projects that are end of the list. It hurts but once I managed to do that I can be more productive in the other projects.