Developing software is a force of will...

Software gets complex whether you want it to or not. There are no magic bullets when it comes to developing software, following the right process or doing the right steps guarantees you nothing.

There are a couple of things that I've seen on all my successful software projects:

1) Force of will - willingness to do what it takes to make stuff work
2) Self discipline - trying to keep yourself from making the problem more complex than it is

These are things that come for free with good people.