Speaking from the same experience, I believe the first lesson quilter(especially) should learn is not to judge their quilts from any closer that 6' away This is about where the quilt is seen on the bed. Viewed from that distance you can see the whole beauty of the quilt but not the tiny mistakes which seem to grow out of all proportion when viewed any closer.
Took me some years to learn that lesson but I'm a lot more relaxed when piecing these days.