Very well put!
It can be saddening, I was there last contest. Modding and the contest aren't about the $$$, and if it is for someone they're REALLY in the wrong business! Modding is meant to enrich the gaming community. Speaking from personal experience, I could make a whole lot more money from working a minimum wage job for the same hours put into my mod haha. As Virtual said, remembering why you started modding can be a great refresher, and if you need to take some time away from it, that's fine. No one will judge you for balancing your real life with modding!