Motivation

[rrenner]

I am thinking that I am not alone when there are times that I would like to scrap my whole project. (Luckily, rare and fleeting). I was wondering what others do in this pickle. I tend to use this forum and the web to research whatever problems I am having, and just give it a rest for a while. If its not fun whats the point? Experiences of others are always a help..

[1project2many]

You are not alone. This happens to everyone from time to time. Here are some methods that have helped me.

Go to car shows.
Hang with friends who can't wait to see it done.
Commit to kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews that you'll give rides when done.
Suspend all other projects.
Get in fight with significant other (at least the truck won't argue)!
Spend time looking at other people's build threads.
Go for ride in someone else's project ride.
Give up procrastinating and get your bottom in gear!!!

[OrrieG]

I always have lots of other projects (furniture restoration, gardening, honey dos around the house) that I can take a break from the truck, then get itching to get back to it.

When working on it I have different groups of tasks so that when one get overwhelming I can shift gears. Not as easy now that I am in the home stretch.

Going to show and shines, car shows, etc. and talking about my progress seems to help too, reminds me of what I have done and how nice it will be to get it on the road.

Fighting with the wife never works, she always wins and I have to go hang with the hound dogs to feel better....

[Speedbumpauto]

Don't get caught up in the "as long as I'm at its". That's a huge problem for me, so I'm giving you advice about something I can't seem to do very often. Keep your project on the straight line of your ORIGINAL plan as much as possible. It will get finished and you'll be rewarded sooner. You can always go back and make changes, within reason, and it's OK to go back because, trust me, you will never be finished.

[Tire Guy]

I suggest doing some exploratory on selling it. When you find out how little you will get from all your hard work you realize what it is worth to YOU.

Keep the faith.

[Stepside Jim]

It's a very common problem rrenner, I think there a different degrees to which each person succumbs to the problem.

I've done the "walk away for a few weeks" idea before and found myself very pissed off because had I continued to work on the project I'd be a lot further by now.

I have a couple of things that keep me moving forward.

1)Never overthink all that's left to do.

2) I call it "Zombie through". I will go to the shop, I will physically put myself into the work zone. If what I'm doing is repetitive I try to remove my thoughts form the project at hand. Still doing the work but basically daydreaming the whole time. I do it with bodywork especially, I keep doing the work then sooner or later I realize I'm close to painting time.

3) Delivering the mail I see garage doors open, inside the garage under the boxes and garden hoses is a classic car or truck not getting finished and I swear I will not let one of my projects be a garden hose holder.

Anyway, it's a subject not often discussed and perhaps by bring it out into the open we are encouraging someone who is in need of some motivation by knowing we all go through it.

[_Ogre]

there's a reason truk took 8 years to build...
life get's in the way


if you need more motivation read above
don't make me go ogre on you

[Richs'55]

I wish I had the problem of not getting motivated. Motivation I have. My problem is not having enough cash to get the job done. That's a whole 'nother can of worms.

[Advanced Design]

Having a completion goal has helped me on the last two builds. Once I decided I wanted to have it done for such and such event, I was able to stay engaged and focused. And I made the goal both times, feeling great about the accomplishment....my own version of climbing Mt. Everest.

[Clarance J]

Hello rrenner. This may sound strange, weird, funny or any word that you want to use but when that feeling starts to surface I sit down with Clarance J and talk to him. I tell him what I want to do to fix him and how I want to do it. It helps me put my plan back together (it helps that he's real good listener, doesn't talk back or ask questions). The bad feeling goes away and I start working on him again. Also I break every job into little steps and just keep going. He's been my truck for 45 years now so he's sorta like a buddy to me that I can't let down. We all have different ways of dealing with it and I know you'll find yours. Good luck on your build. This forum does help very much too.

Earl

[msaintg]

I did a build thread on this site and made it a weekly journal, so I had to accomplish something each week. I also did like OrrieG and had different things to work on.... if some bodywork was giving me trouble, I worked on something else like electrical or buying new parts. Never look ahead too far at what you still need to do, only look back at all that you have done, read and re-read your journal.

[Old Crow]

I've got 2 classic trucks, 3 classic Harleys, a Jeep and a motorhome. When I get pissed off at one, there's always another there to take my mind off it.