They are what is important. But don't be afraid to abandon things, or ask for help, on things that you just don't have the time to do yourself. I could do the Games Review Index, and I enjoy it. But if I did that, I wouldn't be able to write and offer the other services. When you get something that works, don't change it.
Evolution is better than revolution to users.
When you do change your site, do it gradually and in small steps. But patterns only work right for some platforms.