Wait a minute? Is this PPRuNe? There's only been positive and sensible posts - Can't be PPRuNe! Good replies so far, so all I'll say is - that feeling when you've just completed the CPL flight test ... I can't recall anyone not feeling on top of the world after that flight (and can remember the feeling many years later)... probably do wonders for your state of mind ... and confidence, but I agree with other posters here that going straight into IR could be the wrong direction for the moment.