My thoughts for what they are worth ...
I'm a PPL with circa 120 hours. Only just got current again after a big lay-off ... expensive kids!
I'm 40 with no plans on flying as a career but with a "hankering" to be a flying instructor one day.
I've made a resolution for 2014 to crack on with the ground school and exams for the CPL. Going to do them via correspondence course, topped up with classroom the week before the exams.
My aim is to pace myself over an 18-month (or so) period with the exams so I can really enjoy doing it and have zero stress! As I understand it, the exams have to be completed in an 18-month window from the point the first exam is sat. Then you have 36-months to complete the flying aspect and flight test from the date of the last exam.
Sounds doable and I genuinely love studying anything aircraft related - wonder why I went into computing
Anyhow - it may not fit in with your aspirations, but I have none so works for me! Hope this helps someone (and that the above is correct) as I found this difficult to "get my head around" as it seems the CPL route isn't as popular (?) as the ATPL route ...
Corrections appreciated! Happy 2014 all.