In another environment, I have some modest skillsets and regularly praise the 'old bulls' of the site for sharing their foibles & foulups - for exactly the reason Blansky & others say - for the poor schmuck trying to learn. The guys that have it all together & don't make mistakes are of very little value to the student. One photo site illustrated w/ Ansel Adams - around 40 something iconic images - most of which he openly says had alot of darkroom intervention. That averaged out to 2/yr. No one would accept that he only took 2 shots/yr. The rest were foul-ups, experiments & also-ran shots. We learn more from the foul-up & our talk about them than the much needed & wonderful successes. My 'heroes' are those kindly disposed towards the serious student & help them understand. They aren't the only heroes, but they're the ones who have the attention of my voracious learning appetite.
Fav. HCB quote responding to the starry-eyed student's struggle: the first 10,000 are the worst.
Mark - excellent observation about work, etc. If one is not passionate enough about something to enthusiastically endure the work - its already over.