I've been playing fighting games all my life, but didn't have decent comp for a long time.  I thought I was awesome because I was able to school all my friends. 
 
As internet play began to spread, I realized how terrible I really was.  I got an arcade stick (HRAP EX) for STHD in anticipation for SF4.  I'm decent at SF4, but my real love is MvC 3.  Well MvC2 really, but that has transfarred to 3.  I played the hell out of it, but honestly I'm pretty bad at execution.  I'm a decent fighter, but my combos were pathetic. 
 
I practiced and watched videos online, all to no avail.  I could never get demon flip into dive kick OTG to lift the guy up and continue my combo with Akuma.   
 
I took a month off from the game.  It wasn't planned or anything, I just started playing Darksiders and playing a ton of Magic the Gathering Online and MvC3 fell to the wayside.  I picked the game back up, as both the UMvC3 news and EVO got me all hype to jump back in.  I'm 1,000 times better than I ever was!  I can't really explain it, its like I was trying too hard before.  I can now do strings and combos better than ever before, and I've been incorporating all kinds of new strategies into my play.  The game is much SLOWER for me now, its so awesome.  Being able to get a full combo off of almost any kind of touch really gives me a much better chance at victory. 
 
I've never experienced getting this much better at something by taking time away and stepping back (mind you, I wasn't burned out or anything like that, I have NEVER been nearly this good).  I've taken my first step into a larger world.  :)