[tomgruner]

I think its important to realize that is can take years to reach a goal, maybe 10, maybe 15. Many people work to change or better the world for their entire lives while only viewing change in the smallest ways. It's not a realistic expectation that you will generate something world changing in the span of a year, or even two. So to be happier you need to learn how to enjoy yourself while you work and learn, whatever it takes.

Learning how to manage yourself and your life is one of the greatest keys to completing a project. If you are successful in your world changing idea, but you have not learned to manage yourself, how are you going to manage other people? Start out by training yourself as a manager with your first employee - yourself. You would not want a boss that worked you night and day with unrealistic expectations. So - don't be that boss. You can be hard, but reward yourself too. And give yourself the time it takes to really learn.

Personally happiness for me includes going to the gym daily, sleeping well, eating well, and seeing family. And I'm getting closer to some of my goals than ever before. When I worked myself late into the night and didn't eat well, I actually saw my goals slipping away since I was no longer managing myself in a direction that would actually bring about the goals I had set. Maybe I was chasing after short term deadlines, but not really striving toward life goals. Now after 14 years of programming I am coming back to some of my original ideas with a totally different perspective that actually holds a lot more real world value.