Projects How do you get yourself MOTIVATED to work on your project?

Just find something little you can do and start fiddling, it really does build momentum.

 

I'm waiting to be motivated by cooler weather, been over a hundred in my garage, with around 98 percent humidity all summer, got hot and stayed that way. impossible to do anything, got the shifter ***embly out of my off topic car, and all rebuilt, and all back in, now i need to rehang the exhaust, and heat shields. Thats motivation for me, shifter is nice and tight now no slop in any gears, it's one small thing, but it motivated me to finish it, then put the cross member back in, transmission brackets etc. Just focus on something and keep working from there. music also helps. If I can get out there in this heat and with having problems with my foot and health, and still get this done, maby it can be some motivation

 

Start an 'In Progress' thread about it on here then you'll feel guilty if you dont add to it on a regular basis.

 

one thing, is make your shop so you want to be out there, stock some drinks, put in some tunes, etc.

 

Seems I've heard that before! Come to think about it, it was from you! Later Yank

 

Thats the way to look at it. I think it was here on this site I read that somewhere. I went out and made a list of things to do on a sheet of plywood leaning on the wall. I started checking things off once I focused on that one thing at a time.

 

My biggest motivation comes when I walk out to the shop and it's anywhere under 120 degrees! I HAVE to be out there doing customer stuff in that, but it sure makes it hard to get motivated for my own stuff after hours. Hot Rod Ron put it best when he said on his El Portal Coupe thread "this is our winter"! Another week or two and it will be down to about 100 or so, and life can get back on track....

 

Tell your old lady that her mother is an a hole. You will have no access to your house or your computer, your ****, your beer, your old lady, the children, nothing. With this type of total black out of all things but the garage you should be able to get a lot done. Considering you will be sleeping out in the shop/garage if you can't doze off you can count wrench turns till you fall asleep.

 

wtf .... Iam selling the damn thing . No , really , iam selling everything . Iam not going to clean the shop just for it.
for sale ............
IAM GETTIN DRUNK

 

Well 37kid. how about bolting some of the Lynwood rail together and drag it up to Orange? It does not need to be a roller even. Just bring it

People will go nuts over it and maybe you will get some inspiration to get it done.

 

If I have to clean and organize my shop....I'm done for.

The cable co through me a curve when they went to digital. The shop is on the end of the line and I can't get TV out there anymore. I'm a home town sports fan and loved to have football or baseball on while I tinkered in the shop. It's hard for me to go out there now.

I get stopped for some reason and then it's hard to get off my *** and get back out there again. If I could watch the game out there it wouldn't be so hard.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhNM2K8cmU8

 

I had a major virus in my computer and it was down for 2 weeks being cleaned out. Drove me nuts to not have the H.A.M.B and the other programs I frequent but I did find that I spent most of my boring time working on my 40 Coupe and got the damn thing mostly done and driving it now. So it is true that this place keeps me from working on my projects.

 

Just like some have said, make a list, keep the work place some what clean, do one section at a time, have some friends over to help and not just talk about what needs to be done. Just today I went out early and done some steering work on my '54 Ford got to the point where I needed to order parts, then off to the T-Bucket cleaned and fixed small things on it, cleaned the garage also, a long day but got a lot off my list.

 

I get burned out quite a bit sometimes, I'll get pissed off if something doesn't work, etc. and just take some time away from it. Sometimes too much time. Glad to see I'm not the only one who feels that way.

 

I could have brought it to the Dover Reunion today if the dead E-350 wasn't blocking the door and I had a plate for the trailer and a vehicle to tow it the 14 miles to the event.

 

I made a vow to get something, no matter how small , or insignificant it seemed done each week..no matter if it was after work or on the weekend, just something.

I am an early riser, its just how ive always been , so i get out on a few cups of coffee and a plan something no matter how small, and i have at it.
I try to think ahead as i go (but as being human , or dog , we all have our days)
It can be hard at times to stay motivated.
But when you start too see your vision slowly take shape , it gets your blood going to get it done.

Dont beat your self up, I think a lot of people go thru this, pick a plan and just do your best, sometimes we are our own worst enemies or expect intant gratification..
also unless this is what you do for a living , its supposed to be enjoyable and the****utic..not punishment,(not that doing this for work is punishment , not what i ment) and its not a 7 day or 2 week build..at least not if your completely building a car , instead of just making a few modifications

 

I agree with several comments before me...............do something, anything, everytime you're out there. A buddy of mine taught me that when I was building my house......and it worked! Before I knew it, the house was done and I was back in the garage..........right where I wanted to be. My problem is...........I don't want the car build to end....what do I do about that?

 

Problem is, you're life's too good right now, there's other things to distract you. My life's so ****ed up right now, if I couldn't occupy my mind with planning and designing, then go out to the garage and spend hours on end making it happen I'd go nuts.
I fractured my knee 3 weeks ago, but I still work on the car every day, till my knee throbs so bad I can't stand on it anymore, because, as I said, if I didn't, I'd go nuts.
There was a time, when I was motivated by getting it done and driving it, and sharing good times with my friends. Now I got no where I want to go, and no one I want to see, I just build to stay sane, I don't really care if it ever gets done.
There are all kinds of motivations, pick one, or don't. Maybe it's not really that important to you, maybe other things matter more, if so, that's cool, it's just a pile of steel, just do what makes you happy,-----------or at least keeps you reasonably sane.

 

Billy and Ron I agree there is no need to ever finish the projects, I'd just like to make visable progress. Done rollers would be just fine with me.

 

My Wife is my excuse for zipping out to the garage.. ... I try to do at least 1 to 2 hours every second night.. even if its wasted fitting , making a mistake and redoing.. it all falls together.. My motivation is to try to make it work.. and make it fun at the same time.. I hope I answered okay..

 

if you ever wont to enjoy it you have to work on it .

 

I go to carshows and look at cars ,Thats how I get motivated Or check out what guys are building here on the Hamb .I also have an imaginary time line in my head and like Vonn said You can do a little each day or night after work .Most of my bodywork was done with 2 hrs a night after work .THATS 1 COAT LET DRY AND APPLY 2 ND COAT SANDED THE FOLLOWING NIGHT LITTLE GOT DONE ,BUT something got done.

 

I make sure the shop is clean. I might let it go a day or two if I'm really tearing into it, but for the most part just clean your work space after you get done for the day. Makes it alot better and more organized the next time out and get a mental picture of where your taking your build and just get after it. Put on old clothes and just dive in and get dirty. Once you get the hard and dirty out of the way the rest is a breeze.

 

I was super excited last week end about getting to spend a whole saturday un-inerupted at the shop working on my 27. I got discuriged about some parts I needed so by the end of the day I got nothing done!!! I spent the day cleaning the shop and organizing the storage shed, looking for parts I needed for the rod build in the near future!! kinda ****ed!! I'm the kinda guy who if I dont start working with in an hour of getting up... my whole day turns into a great big useless, wasted ****in mess!!

but a friend once told me "you gotta get out there and do at least one thing everyday.. and before you know its done" I always try and repeat it in my head on the way over to the shop so maybe I wont get descouraged!!

 

Thats easy, go buy another proiject.

This is what I do, usually gets me all jacked up to do more work.

 

I go out in the shop, lock the door, put on some good tunes, crack an ice cold coors, smoke a bowl load, and get to bussiness. Even if its only an hour a day its better than nothing before u know it, youve got some **** done! I work one section at a time, that way you see progress! And i make sure shop is clean, there is nothing worse than tripping over ****! Good luck bro, get out there and get busy! I make sure and lock the door cus it never fails, soon as you get into it, some one comes by and screws up your motivation, i also do alot of work at nite, last weekend 11 freinds came by all throughout the day, not *****ing about my freinds ant all, if they would help i wouldnt care so much, but i really like workin alone anyway!

 

clean is one thing, but after I cleaned up my shop, I can't find a thing!!

 

Just make a list of everything you want/have to do to complete the project . Just fix one thing at a time and DON'T jump all over the project ripping and tearing it apart . When you do that , you will be overwhelmed with everything till you have no idea on where to start .
He is my way ,
I start with the frame work . Gotta have a good base to build or repair anything ! Now if you are building a frame from scratch you will need to make sure your engine and trans will fit OK so this will be a good time to test fit them .
Then I start with the sheet metal work . I do one panel at a time until it's ALL completed . Then get the body ready in primmer so it doesn't rush from sitting .
Make sure the drive train is dependable and fix as necessary .
Repair the gl*** as needed .
Repair or replace wiring as needed .
Now do the interior LAST !
This is how I am doing mine and DON'T try to do more than one project at a time or you will never finish any .
These are just my guidelines that works for me . If you don't stick with your list and budget and keep changing your mind it will cost you more money and time till it never gets done .
One thing someone told me a couple years ago and I have stuck with it was , " Place time out to work on your project a few times a week and stick to it ! Even if you only take a tire off , you are still doing something ! If you don't make the time to build it and stick to the schedule , then it will never get done !"
This is so true . So many project get put onto the back burner and never get done . Make time to do it even if it's just a few time a week !
I also agree about the "Clean Shop" ! After each time I am working in the garage , before you turn the lights out , clean it up ! That way you have a clean place to work the next time ! I just can't stand working in a **** dump of a mess !

Retro Jim

 

one thing is make a list of what has to go in first, then next etc, this will keep you from taking things apart over and over and getting frustrated. nothing that can aggravate you more then having to dismantle a bunch of stuff for some small thing you forgot. it makes you mad and then you quit and lose time over it.