Hey there, I don't know you so take my advice if it suits you.
I generally pick up new things very quickly which is exciting at the beginning, but then it gets to be boring after a while. Five years after graduating university, the longest job I've held has been 9 months - which I don't consider a bad thing as it's not difficult for a programmer to find work.
I imagine you're like me - you learn very fast and enjoy challenges. When something becomes less challenges and more monotonous, that is when you want to pack it up.
One thing I do for things that are important is commit to working on it for just 15 minutes a day. You would be surprised at how much just 15 minutes a day can add up to after a few weeks. This is similar to Jerry Seinfeld's "Don't break the chain" (You can google it). Every day just do a little bit more. Since you limit the time you spend, you will probably find yourself not wanting to stop after 15 minutes if it is enjoyable. But make sure to stop anyways. Waiting until the next day will allow you to retain the excitement of the project and you will be looking forward to working on it tomorrow.
I would also highly recommend picking up the book "Mastery" by George Leonard. I have never heard anyone describe the learning process as well as him. His word for people like you is a hacker (this book was written well before hacker became mainstream). Hackers pick up things quickly but then quit when they reach a plateau. However, plateaus are normal parts of the learning process. Mr. Leonard says that many people quit when they get to that first big plateau because they feel they are no longer making (rapid) progress. However, he says that you should enjoy the plateau. The plateau is a way of your body saying "Ok, I've learned enough for now. I need to take it all in first before I can move on to the next stage." In fact, a plateau is a way of knowing that big gains will be found just around the corner if you can persist. If you're spiritual, you might think of plateaus as a test to see how much you really want to attain your goal.
Definitely, check that book out. It's very concise and you can read it in a couple hours.
And don't be so hard on yourself. Most people are exactly like you - it's easy to start things, much harder to follow through. Why do you think New Year's Resolutions are mostly a joke?
I generally pick up new things very quickly which is exciting at the beginning, but then it gets to be boring after a while. Five years after graduating university, the longest job I've held has been 9 months - which I don't consider a bad thing as it's not difficult for a programmer to find work.
I imagine you're like me - you learn very fast and enjoy challenges. When something becomes less challenges and more monotonous, that is when you want to pack it up.
One thing I do for things that are important is commit to working on it for just 15 minutes a day. You would be surprised at how much just 15 minutes a day can add up to after a few weeks. This is similar to Jerry Seinfeld's "Don't break the chain" (You can google it). Every day just do a little bit more. Since you limit the time you spend, you will probably find yourself not wanting to stop after 15 minutes if it is enjoyable. But make sure to stop anyways. Waiting until the next day will allow you to retain the excitement of the project and you will be looking forward to working on it tomorrow.
I would also highly recommend picking up the book "Mastery" by George Leonard. I have never heard anyone describe the learning process as well as him. His word for people like you is a hacker (this book was written well before hacker became mainstream). Hackers pick up things quickly but then quit when they reach a plateau. However, plateaus are normal parts of the learning process. Mr. Leonard says that many people quit when they get to that first big plateau because they feel they are no longer making (rapid) progress. However, he says that you should enjoy the plateau. The plateau is a way of your body saying "Ok, I've learned enough for now. I need to take it all in first before I can move on to the next stage." In fact, a plateau is a way of knowing that big gains will be found just around the corner if you can persist. If you're spiritual, you might think of plateaus as a test to see how much you really want to attain your goal.
Definitely, check that book out. It's very concise and you can read it in a couple hours.
And don't be so hard on yourself. Most people are exactly like you - it's easy to start things, much harder to follow through. Why do you think New Year's Resolutions are mostly a joke?