Staying Motivated

[Julia.J]

I've found that the worst thing you can do is to constantly think the loss of motivation; in time it creates a pattern that leads to stress and eats up all the remaining energy... It’s not a bad thing to be unmotivated. Take some time off, go see a movie, read a book- do something that you enjoy and take your mind on vacation you’ll see that in time the urge to create starts to lift its head again. My vacation took me three years, in which time I learned a new trade, going from scribbling to paper to be a metal artisan…now I’m back at creating art and learning to engrave. There are always options to take.

What motivates me? 1. The work of others and past/current masters of their trade, which makes me to set goals to develop my own skills even further. Setting small goals has been a major boost and keeps things fresh and exciting. 2. Seeing some own work that’s over a year old, which makes me squirm in disbelief to notice how bad it looks (which means I’ve learned and can be proud of my achievements so far.) 3. A site like this to hear honest opinions and be surrounded by people who share the same interest. 4. Trying something completely new, like playing around with new materials. 5. Even doing things that I don’t enjoy, it makes me realize how much I love to create. And the list goes on and on- every day is different, but sometimes is just better to go and do something that does not involve much of thinking…walk in a park, making dinner, a good nap etc. plain, simple and stress free.

~Julia

 

[RDP]

I have a question. What do you do to keep yourself motivated about your engraving?

I totally agree with Julia, ( except making dinner, I'm a lousy cook )

Richard.

 

[Brian Marshall]

I ride a bicycle - a lot... always have.

20 miles will usually cure any motivational problems as well as finding solutions to other problems that may have cropped up during the day. (If 20 miles aren't enough, then 30, 40 or 50 will surely do it?)

Then, an excellent, carefully prepared meal AND a good long nap afterwards are at the top of MY list of cures - for almost anything but the flu or the common cold...

My problems do tend to stack up during the winter when it's too miserable to get outside, though.


B.

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

Then, an excellent, carefully prepared meal AND a good long nap afterwards are at the top of MY list

A nap in my recliner with my three beagles... it just doesn't get any better that that!

 

[Terrezar]

Finding an apprentice will definitely complicate your life... it is not a solution for "motivation" unless you enjoy watching their learning process.

I have had over 30 of them, so I am used to it by now.

The newest one is from Sonora, Mexico. Started this week.


AND you have to face the facts:

Some just don't work out for various reasons.

The really good ones ALL leave just about the time you start to recoup your investment in time teaching them...

IF you did a good job - they will eventually be better than you.


Brian

Of course, these are your own experiences, and I will not clame that any of this is untrue, but I would like to say that the man who thaught me how to make knives had originaly layd down his work, and stopped practising his trade. I spendt a summer at his workshoop, and afther that he was back in buisness. He is retired, and is sertainly no longer a young man, but he has kept on to the knifemaking as a hobby. So to him, having an appretice, and actually seeing that there were someone interested in carrying on his lifes work, gave him back the spark he needed to keep going.

 

[Jane]

Call your friends that do similar work and talk about your projects....feed off of each others energy!

 

[Brian Marshall]

Terrezar,

There are always differences in anyones personal experiences...

And what you say is true. I surely would have retired many years back - if it weren't for the occasional exceptional student doing the same thing you wrote about for me. Re-igniting the flame...

Often, I will rediscover some long forgotten technique that I haven't used in years - and the spark will come back to follow that technique long after the student has moved on.


B.

 

[Caty Blom]

All of you are right, I would love to come to a meeting Fega, but the cost it entails is a wish. What does help me to stay motivated is to contact through this medium I am very happy with it. And I have some friends who wants to be motivated so we give each outline tasks that need to be subscribed and we send once every 4 weeks to each other and sometimes even here on the forum for criticism. Maybe you can also ask someone to have some kind of collaboration. Good luck, greetings Caty.

 

[Marrinan]

For me, Repetition kills motivation. I keep a few jobs of my own laying on the bench. Even just cutting some new style like the Fine English exercises helps get me back on task. truthfully pain killers make my mind wonder some. Fred

 

[John P. Anderson]

Prescription meds can kill motivation. I went through a series of neck surgeries these past ten years and in the process they threw the pharmacy at me. I lost interest in many of my hobbies. I'm now prescription med free and have far more motivation than my old body can handle. Hopefully I'll be flying again by June.

I now have trouble deciding if I should work on the airplanes or engrave. It's truly a tough choice.

Carpe Diem,

John

 

[Haraga.com]

Airplanes John. You can engrave when you are too old to fly.

 

[Marrinan]

Second Hand Lions

 

[ihsfab]

I want to Thank all that have replied to this thread. It has helped me out to no end. Thank you.