This was actually the second time I stopped learning game development and it was for the exact same reason and at the exact same lesson; basically I was learning 2D game development, got to the stage where you set up the sprites and can decide how long each sprite lasts for (so perhaps one frame in a several frame long sequence you want that one sprite to last on the screen a little longer than the rest, you can), and also setting up each sprite and such, only to realize I'd have to do this for everything that has sprites and was like noooooooope.
Maybe if I ever try to learn game development again I'll just stick to ASCII games or something. I watch the game dev videos where people make games in a short amount of time, see all the work that goes into the stuff they do, and realize it's not for me.
I'm honestly way too lazy to do any of this stuff. I wanted to be a game developer ever since I was a kid, but I'm also infinitely lazier now than I was back then.
As someone who has made teeny weeny tiny games for game jams and stuff, I really think as a single person, at least to start, it's good to aim very small and focus on what you're passionate about. If you find something you enjoy making, that will be all the difference. Nobody starts off good at making stuff, and most game devs just have a history of repeatedly getting absorbed into a project and coming out knowing more, that's all it is. There's only one reason I code professionally now: Over years, I every couple of months went out of my way to find a bunch of interesting things I wanted to code as a hobby. That was all.
Sprites and artistry are where I seriously fall over in my game dev projects. I tend to focus on avoiding that as much as possible, and if you start looking, you'll be surprised how many successful indie games (at least initially) really cheap out on too many art assets. But the other thing to remember is there are tons of digital artists out there looking to get involved in stuff, and they're often friendly lots. It's okay to enjoy one aspect of game development, and go looking for other people to collaborate with. It's something I intend to try more in coming years.
Doing something that interests you, and working with people you get on with. Will get you a thousand times further than any amount of willing yourself into doing work you hate.