Motivation?

[AlabamaNewbie]

Not really sure where this should go, so I will just put it here since it's more of a general question about nothing really. LOL

So when we first got our boat, I was excited to get started. It was awesome learning new stuff, and reading, and figuring it out, and really getting in to it. But now, I am seriously lacking motivation. I have about 3/4ths of the stringers removed, and about half of that I've started grinding/sanding. Yeah I know, that seems odd - why not get the stringers out, then do the grinding? Well, because it's stinking hot in Alabama right now. We broke down and got a pop up canopy to block the sun, but it only covers half of the boat at a time. So rather than constantly move it, I do what I can in about a 8 ft section, then the next time I work on it, I set the canopy up on the back half of the boat and work there.

We've got about half of the seats broken down to components (they all have to be completely remade). I have the vinyl that I need to pattern for new covers and the paper to draw the patterns out on. I have all the wood ready to be patterned for replacement (except for the dog house).

But now - I am seriously starting to lack motivation. My sinuses have been killing me lately. The doc told my wife that this year has been the worst in his memory for people having sinus issues and infections - I guess its because of the heat, then the 15 minute pop-up showers, then humidity skyrocketing. I keep thinking "tomorrow I will feel better and I can get back after it", but I just get further and further behind. Am I just using that as an excuse? I think part of it is that I've let the enormity of the entire project creep in to my head. I know we can do it, I know I can do my part. But then when I see how much there is to do, I think - man I can never get this done. And I let it bog me down. I've never worked with fiberglass before, but it doesn't seem like rocket science. I feel confident I can do it. As for the upholstery, I know I can sew - but I've never done a job of this magnitude. Can I really do it? I better be able to, or my wife will kill me for buying a sewing machine!

How do you guys get your motivation back? Or is it that you just never lose it? While each of the individual pieces don't really seem that hard - the whole thing combined has me feeling like its unobtainable.

 

[bobeast]

My trick is to nibble at the project in small chunks. For example removing ¾ of the stringers and disassembling all the seats at once would not be my approach. The thing with large bites is that you are deferring any sense of accomplishment to the very end of the project. It is that sense of accomplishment that motivates me onto the next small bite.

Complete 1 seat or one stringer, bask in your own glory, and pat yourself on the back. Then move onto the next bite with a blind eye towards the end of the overall project. Focus instead on that next small bite.

 

[alldodge]

I wouldn't do grinding in high heat, its just not worth the punishment. Did my restore and grinding when its cooler. Then wait for it to get at least 60 degrees to do new glass work. Couple times add some heaters. Just cannot remove layers to stay cooler and stay protected

 

[Scott Danforth]

the heat and rain are what is pushing my project back right now. fully understand waiting for cooler weather.

that and fiberglass resin kicks in about 2-3 minutes in temps over 90

 

[Sprig]

Some times that just happens. We all lose interest in some things we do or use to do. For example I use to do all my vehicle maintenance but lost interest, it was no longer fun or satisfying. I do zero car maintenance now. I use to build model airplanes but lost interest. Use to tie fishing flys but again lost interest. But all the things I lost interest in have been replaced by new activities.

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

the heat and rain are what is pushing my project back right now. fully understand waiting for cooler weather.

that and fiberglass resin kicks in about 2-3 minutes in temps over 90

I was just really hoping to get our first water test done this year. It's still possible though - since it really doesn't get too cold here except for like 1 week in February.

Right now, I am like "yeah tonight when I get off, I am going to change and get after it, and get the 2 outside stringers cut the rest of the way out."

But by the time I get off work, all I will want to do is take a nap.

 

[hvymtl939]

When tackling big projects like that, I do the same thing I do at home I do at work. Make a board with post it notes of all the small tasks that need done to complete the bigger project. They all start of the left "to do" side, then move to "completed" once done. I usually will try to knock out a note or two a night, depending on what it is. Helps make a daunting project seem to have more tangible progress.

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

Its funny because with my day job - I am all about planning and scheduling. The only way I can do what I do is to take little bites at a time. And honestly, I started this off that way. Then it just snowballed. It became "well, its raining, so I can't do that, so let me do this instead". And next thing you know, I have 13 different things going at once and its all out of control.

Thanks everyone for helping me think/talk/type through this.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I find the more birthdays I have the less motivated I am to do much of anything. Things I lived for 10 years ago I don't get excited to do now going on 64, yes everything (this is a PG site). No energy. We don't work outside unless absolutely necessary because of heat and humidity in Ontario this summer. 100F is hot no matter where but not like Alabama hot day in and day out. I been to Shreveport in July, just stupid brutal heat. Don't kick yourself Constable, it's normal to not have drive in that Blast Furnace heat.

As for sinuses I have been dealing with being plugged up and unable to breath for over 20 years. I finally had the surgery last November where the surgeon basically reams them out with a Dremel tool. It was fantastic until a few months ago. I get so dry in my mouth at night it wakes me and I need to hydrate constantly. The Doc said she can't do anything for me now. Bad sinuses zap you of energy. I hear that lack of O2 is bad.

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

Yeah I had the sinus surgery about 10 years ago. The doc nicked a vein up there somewhere, which was fine while my face was still swollen from surgery. But 3 days later while at home, the swelling went down and I started bleeding like crazy. Rushed to the ER, my doc was on vacation, another ENT shoved a wad of packing up to stop the bleeding and re-broke my nose. Went in to surgery to get the vein cauterized and after that all healed - my sinuses were crap again.

Its really not so much the heat that gets ya down here. Don't get me wrong, hot is hot. But when its hot and you can sweat right, its ok. When the humidity is 80% and its 100 degrees, sweat doesn't work. And you just about need gills to breathe. You know its bad when a fish crosses in front of your face and says "its not the heat, its the humidity!"

 

[MTboatguy]

Well right now, things are being put off because of the heat and the smoke that has moved in from wildfires that have broke out all over the west, including a couple ones only a few miles from the house. Makes it almost impossible to do anything for any amount of time at all.

 

[southkogs]

AlabamaNewbie - I gotta' say, it's been one of the more brutal summers I can recall. It's not so much that it's hot ... it's pretty much always hot just like where you are. But you're right, the heat and humidity in the combination we've had it has been awful this year. I got a wild hair to recondition my aluminum wheels on my truck this weekend. Spent a lot of the day outside on Saturday stripping aluminum and wet sanding. I'm still sore and tired from working in the nasty, wet heat.

I have to seal my deck sometime in the next 45 days, and I'm dreading the fact that we've been this hot since back in May. I'm worried September is going to be just as lousy hot.

 

[Sprig]

I find the more birthdays I have the less motivated I am to do much of anything. Things I lived for 10 years ago I don't get excited to do now going on 64, yes everything (this is a PG site). No energy. We don't work outside unless absolutely necessary because of heat and humidity in Ontario this summer. 100F is hot no matter where but not like Alabama hot day in and day out. I been to Shreveport in July, just stupid brutal heat. Don't kick yourself Constable, it's normal to not have drive in that Blast Furnace heat.

As for sinuses I have been dealing with being plugged up and unable to breath for over 20 years. I finally had the surgery last November where the surgeon basically reams them out with a Dremel tool. It was fantastic until a few months ago. I get so dry in my mouth at night it wakes me and I need to hydrate constantly. The Doc said she can't do anything for me now. Bad sinuses zap you of energy. I hear that lack of O2 is bad.

If you snore and breath thru your mouth (dry mouth) and suffer lack of energy and fatigue you may have obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is serious. It increases mortality as it can cause deadly irregular heart rhythm, strokes, early dementia, hypertension and several other medical problems. If you snore you should get yourself checked for sleep apnea.

 

[FlaCowboy]

Motivation...? It is soon to be college football season...you sound like an Auburn fan

Get that Alabama Crimson Tide Attitude and go Get Err Done...!!! :laugh:

Rolllllll Tide....!!!! :happy:

 

[redneck joe]

I lost most of it last year. sold my project boat after I gutted it. The sold the lone star i completed the rehab on, and since I need a new lower unit on the carver and I'm self managing a room addition to time and money this year keeps me not boating this summer.

I do however have a spreadsheet started for next year's cross country trip to the San Juan islands for a few months and what all I need to do to prepare, repair, but and learn.

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

Motivation...? It is soon to be college football season...you sound like an Auburn fan

Get that Alabama Crimson Tide Attitude and go Get Err Done...!!! :laugh:

Rolllllll Tide....!!!! :happy:

I am the one person in Alabama that doesn't really give a rip about college football! It gives me a very open social calendar, since I am not invited to any of the game day parties! lol

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

I guess my whining helped some. I got home last night and had about 3 hours of daylight, so I finished getting the stringers out. Now I need to get the lumber to build a gantry to get the engine out so I can get the transom out.

 

[redneck joe]

war eagle

 

[ACon977]

Hey there, just followed your profile back to here. My motivation when I was focused on too many things was what killed me. I would spend 20 min walking around the garage looking at all the things I needed to do and then would go inside and do something else.

What finally worked for me was to only focus on one aspect at a time, similar to what people have said, but when I cut the stringers out I used an oscillating tool and did one stringer per day after work. Same with the grinding, it would suck, but just get home and Immediately get some water and walk out to the garage/tent before you can sit down. Then grind for 20 min minimum and then you can see if you want to keep going or not.

Overall it is just mind over matter to keep going, I have been overwhelmed with the engine, so I just focused on the rest of it until I feel like I'm in a better place with it.

Another thing is starting a thread, it helps to have people like Tim watching and waiting for the next updates. Gets me excited to take pictures and post updates for people to appreciate.

 

[sphelps]

Maybe work on the seats inside in the AC ..In a few weeks or so maybe there will be a break in the weather pattern .