Earning my instrument rating was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. Harder than training for and running 2 marathons, and more work than giving birth. The birthing was more painful and way less fun, though. I began my instrument rating in the fall of 2006. I had earned my private pilot's license in the fall of 2005 and took the year in between to build my hours. Beginning instrument work is a veryt different ballgame. You have to fly the airplane, but cannot look outside the plane. At all. The instruments are the only thing you may rely on to fly the airplane, so you have to ignore all the signals your body is giving you about what the plane may or may not be doing, because the instruments are right, and your body is wrong.