I usually just give up on the complex stuff instead of powering through it to figure it out. Same thing with other hobbies that I'm exploring, running, maker space, swimming, working out, skiing etc.
- I can't keep it consistent. I can't get myself into a routine. Sometime I'm too lazy to do it, other time things come up.
- I don't feel motivated to put in the effort to get better and often give up when its gets difficult.
Comment welcome. What keep you motivated and what do you enjoy now that you are FI/RE? Did you always enjoy your hobbies from the beginning or did you have to power through the difficult learning curve before you can enjoy it?
I worked in both the software and the engineering field for 30+ years. Any complex task (problem) can be broken down to a smaller problem. Large complex problems are just a bunch of small problems (i.e. I cannot see the trees because of the forest - or - how do you eat an elephant? - you eat the elephant one bite at a time).
The only problem I see here is giving up, motivation, or the hobbies you listed aren't for you. The following activities are relative :running, maker space, swimming, working out, skiing etc. They are easy if you do not have high standards. If you expect to be a world class runner, well that's a lot harder than winning a local 5k race. And winning a local 5k race is a lot harder than just jogging a 5k.
Anyway, if you get bored - or you can't power through them, maybe that hobby isn't for you. On the other hand, if you seem to be bored with every hobby, then maybe it is time to force yourself to power through one of those hobbies. Pick a hobby, a time limit, and a reasonable goal that can be met. Do it!
My hobbies that are very fulfilling? running, swimming, working out, maker space, software development. Why are they fulfilling? Because you can never master them. There is always something to learn or master.