effort is necessary but not sufficient. You need to put effort into areas where you can improve. As a child I wasted years learning how to write by hand. I still can not write legibly. Continuing down that path would be a waste, even if the skill wasn't completely obsolete.

there are traps like this everywhere. You need to recognize areas where effort isn't bringing you returns, and somehow reorganize your life so that you don't have to do those things. find someone who isn't good at something you are good at, and vis-a-vis and trade. (this becomes much easier once you can hire people.)