[brudgers]

Random remarks from the internet:

Not having the energy to pursue an idea is a useful filter. It means pursuing the idea is theoretically exciting but not actually exciting enough to actually pursue. That's most ideas for exceptional people and pretty much all ideas for most people. Machine learning and time series analysis pass the filter. Keep riding that bus for now.

Your day job of doing dull research is just a day job that advances your career opportunities, and having a PhD statistically increases a person's career opportunities. Grad school often ends with a 'death march' to just get the damn thing done. The only thing that is guaranteed is that not finishing means no PhD. Short of severe mental health issues, there's not much upside to quitting with only a year left.

Good luck.

[acangiano]

Your insightful comment reminded me of PG's remarks on people wanting to be novelists in principle. OP might enjoy reading that essay: http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html

[ux4]

Thanks for sharing this, I feel a few steps closer to the answers I'm seeking.

[brudgers]

Odds are it reminded you because, I undoubtedly read it at one point and filed the idea away but not its source.

[tmoot]

I'd wish I had read this in 2006.

I didn't know PG had this repo of great articles.