the joys of independent Achievement

i picked up today where i left off on friday and continued striving to work through the road blocks that made last week such a trying experience. i had more fulfilling success, but there is still more work to be done before i can really get my research rolling along at the pace i would like. i was pretty pleased with myself for figuring out the problem and being able to fix it without having to bother anyone else for help. however, i feel my research is rather stagnant at the moment, but i guess i am learning useful things nonetheless. i am continuously told this by my colleagues, but i am blinded by the fact that the knowledge is not directly in line with my research goals.

on the other hand, is there really such a thing as "independent Achievement"? as much as others help us in our journeys, we are never where we are solely on our own merits. at what point can we claim victory as being "all our own"? that being said, i am convinced though that once i make enough progress towards my degree and become an "expert" in my research, that i will feel a much more independent feeling of Achievement. (shoot!, at least i hope so)