How do you motivate yourself...?

[sasch74]

Hey everybody,
was just wondering how you handle times when nothing seems to work out the way it`s supposed to and you feel like you got shit stuck to your hands when examining your work?

I`m under a lot of pressure lately, not only from the business-side but also in my private life. I am self-employed for a little more than 6 months now, and I try to forward my business in different fields (architectural, functional, prodo). I try to get a stable base of commission work for financial "security" and find time to spend with my family too.

From time to time I recognise how much the pressure from the "outside-world" affects my work. Today I barely managed reballing a black-white-grey ftc-tube!! And I have done many ftc-reversals...

My experience tells me that forcing yourself to work more and harder in these situations leads to the exact opposite of your goal. But whining and bitching don`t help either. All of a sudden all creativity and passion for glassblowing get in the background and worries and doubt come knocking...:depressed

So, I certainly hope for all of you you don`t know these feelings and everything is great for everybody. But I do hope too that I`m not the only one to experience this from time to time...

Anyone got any advice on how to find that switch in the head?

P.S: I`m not a noob, spent more than a decade on the torch( mostly in production+ a custom a month).

P.P.S: Hope this hasn`t been covered too often, "shit on my hands" didn`t bring useful results in the search...

[HOSS]

Unfortunately I can't say I have the solution, but I can definitely relate. Last month I was under a lot more pressure than normal to produce, and trying to make more difficult work than usual in less time. My failure rate was insane, even familiar things that should have been an easy slam dunk were going to shit. I always thought I was pretty good under pressure, but apparently for me when it reaches a certain level, nothing works out like it should. Which of course only makes things worse. :bangHead:

So I guess just try to hang in there. Sometimes it takes all the running one can do, just to stay in the same place.

[Emmett's Glass]

I hit myself in the head with a 2x4 for several minutes when I wake up every day to get started. After I stop I feel better because I'm not hitting myself in the head anymore and I know the day is easier from there on out.
E

[smolder holder]

My advice is to stick with it. Recently I had about three weeks where everytime I went on sales runs I didn't sell a single thing. I got really discouraged and since my family depends on me I got really stressed about it.

A month later I can't keep enough stuff in my case to fill it up.

I'm sure it will swing back around the other way again eventually but when you aren't selling stuff as fast as you like try to remember when you were and realize it will turn around.

I motivate myself on the fact that between my day job and glass I totally support my wife and kids. I take pride in that. When I get home exhausted and just want to sit on the couch and veg I tell myself that it was the extra $ from glass that kept us afloat last month when the car needed new tires or the kids needed to go to the doctor.

It's all about why you do it beyond that you enjoy it when times are good.

Ramble ramble, hope that made sense :)

[BoroZillacate]

I'm sure many glassblowers feel your pain. I find it hard to have alternative outlets for creativity, rage, boredom, exitement, and other such emotions without just taking them out to the shop with me.

it can make days tough

[medicatedMELTDOWN]

Examine your life and situation as deeply as possible. Find any and all things which hold you back or distract your mind. Let go of any things which really aren't benefiting your life.

I think most everyone goes through similar times.

Remind yourself that things can be better. I would guess that there are clever ways you may not be realizing to improve your ability to create, or do whatever in life.

sounds like a tough time. I wish the best for everyone.

[hippi]

CRACK!! CRACK does wonders!!! but if u want some safer motivation.. check out www.stickam.com were always on there doin work... heres a few links to artist page.. were alwasy on one of them
www.stickam.com/hippiglass
www.stickam.com/sleepingpeople
www.stickam.com/bridgingboro

go on there and make a account ull find us..were alwasy givin motivation and getin MOTA-vated haha

[Natedizzle]

Yo Sacha! Hope you've been well, it sounds like you've been thru a bunch of changes in the past year and a half!

The best advice I have, is to develop a schedule and balance. Being independent doesn't mean you shouldn't still work a steady schedule no matter what life throws your way. If you are confident that you put in a solid day despite having nothing to show for it... Then leave, have fun with your kids, and come back tomorrow. Second, is confidence. The more positive you are about the whole process, before during and after, the more likely you are going to be happy with the result... In life and glass.

Dizzle

[bildo]

Instead of thinking of how much better things could be, think of how much worse they could be. You are a flame worker, that is fucking awesome. Working for somebody else is the worst. Self motivation is hard to come by, but think if you worked for Wal Mart nobody cares if you dont feel up to it today, and if you dont go you will be fired. You dont ever want to fire yourself and god forbid get a real job. Plus most Americans love overtime because they can make more money, most americans cant get overtime. You can work as much as you want and do something bad ass. Anyway, those are the thoughts that keep me going. Work everyday, get habitual youll thank yourself at the end of the day.

[gn0me]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_68N7VsNXBts/S5DyJamkXwI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/XYUNTCFs788/s320/Dory.gif

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.....

[Chris Vargas]

CRACK!! CRACK does wonders!!! but if u want some safer motivation.. check out www.stickam.com were always on there doin work... heres a few links to artist page.. were alwasy on one of them
www.stickam.com/hippiglass
www.stickam.com/sleepingpeople
www.stickam.com/bridgingboro

go on there and make a account ull find us..were alwasy givin motivation and getin MOTA-vated haha

Hell yeah... Before my brother cancelled his internet (where i work at), I was on there all of the time. Its a really great group of people and when you dont feel like you are working alone, you tend not to feel like the weight is on your shoulders only. That and theres laughter and funness. He's planning on getting internet back within a week or two, so i should be back on.

http://www.stickam.com/vargdogg

[CitizenNot]

Motivation!......An ex-wife and the desire to still make her wet with a wink of an eye!

....oh wait that was the porn I watched tonight....better get back on the torch!

[ITIS]

On tuff days just make a bunch of something pick an item that is not to hard or time consuming and just bang out a bunch of them. motivation and inspiration for more involved work will come no need to force it.

[sasch74]

Thanx everybody for the encouraging words and the Humor in your answers! It really means a Lot!!
Hippi: lol... Crack is A Little hard to get here, do you think Opium would help too? And Thanks for the stickam hint, gonna make an Account and push in a nightshift Next Week or so, excited about it!

Nate: good to hear from you again! Yes, Change came Quite soon and harsh After you guys Left for the CC. Even in These Tough days i still believe it was a good decision. Guess it's my First real blood sweat and Tears Time now. And I Found a fix schedule very helpful too, i try to Stick to it As much As possible. Anyway: everything i See and hear from you is just great, keep on the good work.

As you Know I was very unsatisfied with yesterdays work, so I Decided to make New prep Today. So i just finished my First Vac-Stack right now, used 60x5 and 85x5 and was very pleased how smooth the Hot work went ( but the Cold Part with all double and Triple-checking everything took Forever lol!) and i yielded about 40" of tubing, no flaws and bubbles. Put a smile back into my face again!!

Thanks again to everybody, what a great Community.

[Master Yoda]

Personally I find this forum to be the best. I can take a break but still keep up a productive mind state.

[RamblezMarblez]

I personally like to write and draw my ideas down in my note book. It's funny to look back on the crazy shit I thought would work a couple years ago. I also think it is very important to EXERCISE on a daily basis. If I don't exercise, my blood slows down, I feel lazy/groggy, I can't do anything w/o weed, and I feel like I'm missing something positive in my life. Browse others pictures and note what you like. Lately I came up with an idea to make a glass lighthouse with a glowing bulb inside.

[Frankie Hess]

Try imagining you're teaching a class, and having to explain everything you're doing to the people you are teaching. I find this helps draw my attention to the details of how I do what I am doing, which helps me realize what I need to do different to get the result I want. I recently have been writing down what I am finding because I am sick of going through the same shit over and over when I'm stressin about money. Now I am able to go to what I have written as a reference and see the stupid little thing I am doing differently.

I have found that I have different habits when I am stressing, so I am using the power of writing things down to cultivate my good habits into my glass when I am stressed as well. One of my habits when I am stressing is to turn my centerfire up more than I need to, like this will speed shit up, lol. What I find is, it actually slows me down and causes problems most of the time. This is exactly what I did at the DFO this year, and why I had problems all day, and a janky piece at the end!

Good luck!

[Super Phunk]

Lsd-25

[Master Yoda]

Wow, thanks for that post Frankie

Myself I find it to be the opposite, I do best when I'm not thinking but feeling. It's almost like some bruce lee "if you focus on the finger pointing at the sky then you miss all the heavenly glory beyond it" (I know I probably messed that one up)

My best work comes when I am in the zone, it's almost as if I am channeling some ethereal force. I always get in trouble when I try to over analyze my technique. Just need to feel the flow and let the muscle memory do the rest.

[alta.arte]

If glass work is not as good as in other days, I try to focus on other things around shop. I clean it up, hang in a poster or new pic to the wall.Do some prep work. Or simple lay down in the shop put some music and bring some fresh air to my self and shop. That helps me a lot go trough harder shop times.
Pura Vida!!!

[Swampy]

Clean up when I finish work. Coming into a clean workspace keeps it fresh.

[sasch74]

Lsd-25
A man of good taste! Definetly my favorite, but Not too often... haven't tried working in it though...

[Aaron Ellis]

Frankie had some great advise I've never Given a class but it makes sense. And it is so much muscle memory that when u are in a funk u gotta slowdown and relax, go play golf or something take the kids to a park go swimming and get back on the torch and make some shit. Remember the days when u would lay in bed thinking about a tech and couldn't sleep find a tech or try to create one lampworking is the shit it's still fresh and there is so much to come in our future with this medium.

And Frankie I thought your piece at the DFO was dope man u rock it bro.
Keep on keepin on everyone.......