Motivation, wish I could find some.

[Petetrucker07]

Iam suffering from a lack of motivation, bad. I have 2 pick ups, 5 cars and 5 big trucks currently in process. I sit down, set my stuff out, get the parts out and then end up lookin at everything. I sit there for a few, fiddle around, put everything away. Today I sprayed a little and brushed some paint on, but that was it. There are a couple I'd like to get done for a show in September. I hope the motivational bug bites soon.

[slusher]

Clayton friend, i have been there more then once. I would look and contest mags and watch some auto programs on television. Look at my model mags and even built some of the amt proshop  prepainted cars. It will pas so many of us builders get a lack of motivation...

[disabled modeler]

Clayton....Carl is right and your not alone here...the tornado we had has had my time spent cleaning up and repairing things around here the best I can.  Now that most of its done to a point I have the same issue you have...I have several started but just cant get motivated to finish any of them right now.  Sometimes Ill find a AMT or Johan snap kit to break the building block or work on something out of my normal areas of interests...it will pass have faith.

[Ramfins59]

I went through the same thing for a couple of months in June and most of July.  Lack of motivation coupled with lousy, rainy weather, etc.  I'm getting back into the swing of things now that clear, sunny weather has made an appearance and put me in a better mood.  Hang in there Clayton, you'll be back to your old self before you know it.

[Tom Geiger]

I haven't hit the work bench in a while myself. This has been a crazy year here with my wife having heart surgery, and me working from home to help her recover.  So I've been preoccupied, and haven't had the time or patience to work on a model.   And it's summer!  I'm spending my day light time outside fighting with weeds!

One thing that's always helped me is to clean up or reorganize the model room. Once I have everything in it's place and the bench cleared off, I usually want to work on something.  I'm like you, I have a dozen projects that just need to have a little focus to get done. Time goes by fast and I don't realize how old some of those actually are!

 

[mikemodeler]

Same here, I attribute it to the summer weather and the need to do things outside. I have taken some time here and there to work on some kits but no major progress. My problem is that I will start a bunch of kits and then not finish a single one for months! Just this morning I opened another kit-'63 Corvette snap kit, and sprayed some primer on it and will work on it over the next couple of weeks. That is in addition to the other WIPs, some as old as 10 years! LOL!

[b-body fan]

Try putting them all away except 1. Once you do that it's so much less overwhelming. You get some focus back. When that one is finished you'll be amazed at how motivating a little success is. 

[bismarck]

Try putting them all away except 1. Once you do that it's so much less overwhelming. You get some focus back. When that one is finished you'll be amazed at how motivating a little success is. 

Amen. I put all my stuff away, and even thought about selling off every bit of it. After a week or two, I got the old spark back, and was back building in about a month. Its hard to gauge the ebb and flow of what motivates hobbies sometimes, and we all go through slumps, but we all find a way to pick up the brush and glue again. Its in our blood. We all share this strange addiction called "modeling"

[Quick GMC]

try reorganizing your setup. This helps me. I rearrange things, clean up a bit and I start building. 

[b-body fan]

try reorganizing your setup. This helps me. I rearrange things, clean up a bit and I start building. 

That's good advice too.

[angelo7]

I'm like you now Clayton.  I have about 20 unbuilt kits including cars, trucks, even a Superman figure.  I guess a break sometimes is not bad.  

[wayne swayze]

 The last BIG slump I had took 5 years to get out of. Picked some parts box stuff, and thought I'd just throw something together. Glad I did! The motivation came back. So we all go through this, but it does come back. Lots of good ideas here, like clearing the bench and start with a "clean sheet"!

[Roadrunner]

Me too. After butchering two paint jobs in a row, I've lost a lot of the zeal for starting another, so I've switched to an aircraft for a nice break.

[Old Buckaroo]

I really dont know how any of you "fair weather climate" guys get anything done.  Summer for me is spending time with my Wife (she is a school teacher).  We like to travel and goof off as much as we can..  

I still look at the forum here on a regular basis over morning coffee most of the time,  and follow all the great work and shenanigans.

Soon as school goes back in session I find myself in the hobby room starting to clean up and organize the kits I had bought over the Summer.  Then I get the motivation to start building again.

Clayton - Spend as much time as you can with your Wife and little one , the hobby will work its way back in to your routine !

[Petetrucker07]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. 

Sean. That's exactly what I've been doing. When I'm not working, I'm spending time with them. It's the early morning or later in the evening when they're both sleeping, when Iam able to get some bench time. I'm just not feelin it. I know it'll come back. I'm sure a simple quick build could break it up, but I don't even feel like starting anything. Just a bit of a spot, I know it'll pass. I'll keep lookin at the projects around and it'll bite again.

Again, thanks everyone.

[High octane]

Try putting them all away except 1. Once you do that it's so much less overwhelming. You get some focus back. When that one is finished you'll be amazed at how motivating a little success is. 

Amen. I put all my stuff away, and even thought about selling off every bit of it. After a week or two, I got the old spark back, and was back building in about a month. Its hard to gauge the ebb and flow of what motivates hobbies sometimes, and we all go through slumps, but we all find a way to pick up the brush and glue again. Its in our blood. We all share this strange addiction called "modeling"

Thought about selling off your models, tools, parts, paints, etc. DON'T do it! Box everything up and put them in the corner or something, but DON'T get rid of your modeling stuff. I did back in 1990 only to find myself starting all over 'bout 7 or 8 years down the road. Boy was I ever sorry. Even if you're in a slump for a few months, at least you'll have your stuff and you can pick up where you left off, or even start a new project.

[Tom Geiger]

"Thought about selling off your models, tools, parts, paints, etc. DON'T do it! Box everything up and put them in the corner or something, but DON'T get rid of your modeling stuff. I did back in 1990 only to find myself starting all over 'bout 7 or 8 years down the road. Boy was I ever sorry. "

I agree.  Right now I've gotten the bug to go through my old stamp collection.  I was into stamps big as a kid and teen, giving it up when I got into the real life stuff of jobs and family circa 1980.  I never sold or ditched anything. I packed it all up and moved those cartons through an apartment and three houses.  And suddenly this year I get the bug to check it out again!  And it's been a blast. 

[bismarck]

Thankfully it was just a phase. At the time i was working on "one of those" kits and got very frustrated. I think we have all had a kit like that. I have 35+ years of accumulated tools and kits. Some of them are one of a kind P/E benders and the like. I think I would have done my fathers memory a great disservice by selling the tools he made. I still get alot of enjoyment and happy memories out of modeling. When I hit a slump, I just set everything aside and come back to it later. Life and everyday happenings often give me the distraction I need to come back to the build with fresh perspective. OR i come back to the build to get AWAY from stuff. depending on the situation.