Re:How do you stay motivated?
by abalashov on Thursday September 03, 2009 @01:46PM
(#803008)
Even when you are working on something you love it can be hard to stay motivated.
Too true. I get people telling me all the time that the reason I have motivational problems is because I just don't totally, wholeheartedly love what I do.
That's not true. I really do like what I do. It's just that encapsulated in every conceptual appreciation is a lot of work. I think the difference between someone who "loves what they do" vs. someone who approaches what they do rather dispassionately is that in the former case, it's only 90% drudgery/10% fun, as opposed to something more like 98%/2%.
Re:How do you stay motivated?
by jackchristopher on Thursday September 03, 2009 @02:13PM
(#803083)
How do you stay motivated? > How do you stay in love?
Wonderful turn of phrase. I'm inspired now to search around for articles about how couples keep stay in love for decades. I'm sure they use some of the same "algorithms" that people who stay in love with their work do.
Re:How do you stay motivated?
by TheThomas on Thursday September 03, 2009 @03:05PM
(#803222)
I recently left my sweet, sweet university job running a development team to start a private firm with some colleagues. We launched http://wejustquit.net for our friends and family just after the announcement. When I need a little kick in the butt, I just swing by and it scares the motivation right back to me.
If only it would try to eat me every so often, I'd work all the time.
It's important to recognise when your motivation is dipping and switch to something else or take a break.
Too often I forget this and keep pressing on regardless - and the task takes twice time it would have if I'd just parked it for a day or two.
Too true. I get people telling me all the time that the reason I have motivational problems is because I just don't totally, wholeheartedly love what I do.
That's not true. I really do like what I do. It's just that encapsulated in every conceptual appreciation is a lot of work. I think the difference between someone who "loves what they do" vs. someone who approaches what they do rather dispassionately is that in the former case, it's only 90% drudgery/10% fun, as opposed to something more like 98%/2%.
http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/
But if you find yourself asking, "How do I stay motivated?" more than once or twice per year, then you're probably in the wrong line of work.
99% of the time, loving what you're doing should be enough motivation.
Wonderful turn of phrase. I'm inspired now to search around for articles about how couples keep stay in love for decades. I'm sure they use some of the same "algorithms" that people who stay in love with their work do.
If only it would try to eat me every so often, I'd work all the time.
Ha! I don't.