I am right there with you, Watson. Sometimes I wait so long to do a project that I end up finding it years later and wonder what was I thinking and decide that I don't like it after all. I find that I get overwhelmed rather easily and if I can't figure out where to start, I don't.
I have come to the conclusion that it is my perfectionism that keeps me from starting a complicated project. I don't want to disappoint myself so I don't start. I don't know if that makes sense, but now that I am getting older I can see that is what has happened. When I was younger, I sort of just shot from the hip, as they say and just jumped in raring to go no matter what. Done was done. Now that I know a thing or two about quilting, I want to make sure that I do a really good job and I pride myself on doing a good job, but I think that that is what freezes me into doing nothing. I guess putting it another way is to say that I have fear of failure.
What I have learned to do is to start in a small area that I think looks like fun. Sort of like dipping your toe into the water to get a hint of what it is like. After doing this very small section, I sort of find my rhythm and I get curious on how the next section is going to look like. Without realizing it I am really into the project and want to see it finished and that is what keeps me going once I have dipped my toe into the water.
Good luck and do what Nike says, "Just do it."