The road is as long as you are patient.

There are many obstacles that pounce upon the unsuspecting potential achiever, many of which are self-inflicted ( unfortunately ), this can be overcome. A lesson I am subtly taught every Monday and is long forgotten by Saturday morning. I have yet to keep in mind that this is a world of "do-ers" that not doing is against the trend and considered anti-social, I rather often remind myself that being genuine involves acting out of instinct and not prescription.
It is this idea of your ideals being in conflict with what exists  outside of your 'world' that could be a possible hurdle in your journey of self-realisation. One must understand that without this conflict, one would not be an individual; not being as the status quot depicts should never be a bad thing. Be your own level of acceptable and excellent, as is popular to say "do you".
The most simple solution that most of us were given by headmasters in Friday morning assembly speeches, or the word embellished on an award given because we were not the best but tried, or - if you are lucky enough - the word was given as a description of your actions, PERSEVERANCE. stick to it, be diligent be committed. That is all that you can and should expect of yourself at any stage of any project at any point in your life.

Never, never, never  give up on yourself.