[Falconheart]

I've had some of the problems you've described and am in fact still battling some of them. I have had some recent breakthroughs however and if I may, I'll share with you what I've learned.
One of the underlying issues here, with the gaming, the compliment fishing, the negative reinforcement of your attributes, depression, lack of motivation, and even lack of decision making and procrastination is Pride. Lack thereof I should say. Depending on who you ask, pride will be good/bad/neutral but regardless it is a crucial part of our existence. As males, we have large, fragile egos that we don't like to admit exist. But they do. If we aren't proud of our past, we have a hard time facing the future due to our feelings of futility. "Well it didn't work before... Why should it work now?" That kind of thing. I think the core issue here is that you need to be proud of yourself. You didn't get your wife by chance, nor a good job. You may not like it, but job security is something a lot of people don't have. Needless to say, a good marriage is something even more people don't have. Look at your successes in life, let yourself be proud of what you HAVE done and it will help you to find the strength to take another step toward what you'd like to do. When we lack pride in what we have done, we lack the desire to do more, because it feels futile. You must acknowledge your accomplishments and equally importantly the REWARDS for those accomplishments, and you will find the strength to move forward. Games entertained you, and me, for the same purpose - you can save the world/rescue the princess/whatever. You're a hero or at the very least, someone powerful and in control. There is no reason you can't be that in life, except if you choose not to be. Your life is controlled by your own choice. What you need to realize is the choices of the past have paid off. Acknowledge what you do have, how much of it was earned, and you will have a better perspective on moving forward. There is no such thing as motivation - its an illusion. We do what we choose to do. What guides that choice, is also a choice. Choose to guide your future choices by your successful past ones, and you will inevitably succeed again.
Take care & God bless
--Michael