It's interesting you point out the greatest pleasure for you is studying, implementing the new strategy and then the play brings success. No reward without the work!
To further this point, the aspect which most attracts me to poker is the concept we can never master the game. You can gather experiences and build a data bank of actions and re-actions to implement is numerous situations. But you know in due course you will be faced with an opponent (or table) that puts you to the test yet again. It can be via the villains brilliant play, hyper aggression or plain stupidity but someone will pull the rug out from you.
I have found in any given period if I am playing by rote in a disinterested or detached way, it is always because I have not bothered to study much or find a new strategy to engage in. I take it as a warning sign if I am content or relaxed with my game...the poker learning job is never finished!