/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

It's crazy when I think about it but I have been visiting this place for 7 years already wishing I could draw but always getting discouraged by how long it takes and having no idea how to start.

There are 3 things that are holding me back:

1) Uncertainty: If someone gave me a big book with tons of exercises and clear explanations and assured that if I follow the book _I WILL_ get good I think I would be more motivated. But right now there are many different books and it's still not clear to me which I start with first and how exactly I should progress through it. So an exercise tells me to draw my shoes. How good do I need to draw these shoes before I move on? When can I move on to the next exercise? I think drawing classes might be a better idea...

2) Lack of reward: I have these high goals that even with discipline and talent would take years to reach. Meanwhile the road to there is with no rewards at all. I don't enjoy copying something from life. I don't enjoy drawing geometric objects. I don't enjoy drawing from imagination if the drawing looks like nothing that I am picturing in my mind. Artificial self-imposed rewards never worked for me because I know I can get these rewards at any time.

3) Impatience: I think I always had this problem but the older I get the worse it gets when others my age are already successful artists making amazing works while I am struggling to draw a fucking cube. I start to get frustrated and lose focus and then counterproductively distract myself from the unpleasant feelings by not drawing. I have no idea how others manage to start drawing late in life.