Enjoy the process of making, not only the moment it’s done. Most of your hours will be spent in the middle.

Finishing is a thin slice of the time. Almost all of it happens in the middle, where the thing is unresolved and slightly ugly and nobody is watching. If the only good part is the end, you have arranged for yourself to dislike most of your own hours inside the one activity you actually chose.

Find a part of the process you genuinely enjoy and protect it. The first rough sketch, the quiet of the room, even the boring cleanup. Having one is usually what keeps people going for years rather than weeks.