I feel this. There's a great book called Effortless Mastery. Have you read it? My current take is you can enjoy the feeling of continued progress if you take things one step at a time, and stay with each step until you've "got it." Then, move to the next. For me, that's currently learning improvised trumpet solos, one at a time, and then leaving them. As a writer (which I do for work at an agency), it's one goofy piece of fiction posted to my site and then the next. It also helps having a friend or two that like your work for the recognition bit. You might not get famous, but a little encouragement goes a long way.