http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3200029
As for making progress on some goals, I'd check out the literature on deliberate practice, and the strategies on the Less Wrong and Overcoming Bias blogs. (Your note is displaying a range of cognitive biases.)
The recent book on Mastery by Robert Greene lays out a lot of tactics. The good and bad news for you is that almost all approaches to mastery require becoming more involved with other people. The Mixergy interview with Robert Greene is excellent. I don't remember ever hearing Andrew Warner as excited about a book. This interview is not behind the paywall yet, so enjoy it while you can: