Motivated!!

M

msh

Member
Jul 2, 2002
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Charlotte, NC
www.moctezuma-us.com
I can't get motivated. I've plenty to do... mountains and hills to build, scenery to create, backdrop to finish, decoders to install, lights, couplers and wheelsets to replace, blah blah blah.

lately, I simply don't do any of it - I need something to light the required fire under my butt and GET ME BACK TO WORK!! :eek:
 
I occasionally go through spells like that also. Sometimes they last for only a few days, sometimes they last for weeks. Sooner or later, though, I always get things turned around.

For me the biggest re-motivators over the years have been:
1. Seeing a really cool kit (usually structure) that I suddenly can't live without. Because then I start "seeing" it on my layout and mentally redoing some part of my layout and.... (you get the point, I'm sure).

2. Going to a local or regional meet/convention/trainshow. Especially ones that have contest rooms full of outstanding models.

3. Looking at photos of great layouts and modeling and/or watching videos. (Allen Keller's GMR videos of George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester almost always grabs me. I see something inspiring - and new - everytime I watch one of those)

4. Read an issue or two of Finescale Modeler. Looking at outstanding modeling in other genres (military, ships, figures, etc.) can sometimes get my "batteries" recharged.

If those fail, then I just walk away from the whole model rr thing for a while. I don't worry about because I know sooner or later I'll get fired up again anyway.

Here's a scene around my OVT & L machine shop. It's a hot July afternoon in the Ozarks. Not much activity going on right now, but come tomorrow morning when everything is cool and fresh again....

Hope it helps :)
 

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I too have run through spells where I just couldn’t get going. I am in one right now. Have not worked on a train or the layout in several days. One thing I always try to do is "work" on model railroading for 15 to 20 minutes a day everyday. Some days I work for hours building and running the trains. Other days my 15 minutes consist of just looking at the layout and figuring out what to do next or just admiring what I have done. Once and a while visiting the forums and reading the posts is the only "model railroading" I get done.
So I look at that sometimes I may not be doing anything physical on the layout I am still model railroading because I am planning, learning, or just admiring.

As Casey stated soon or later you will see something that will get you rolling again. For me it is usually when the modeling magazines arrive in the mail.
 
Originally posted by msh
I can't get motivated. I've plenty to do... mountains and hills to build, scenery to create, backdrop to finish, decoders to install, lights, couplers and wheelsets to replace, blah blah blah.

lately, I simply don't do any of it - I need something to light the required fire under my butt and GET ME BACK TO WORK!! :eek:
Click to expand...

Hi Bonkeyman! Just came from visiting your website. It sounds like maybe you have too much to do. I know that when I have a big project like yours, at first I'm all fired up with enthusiasm and that carries me through for a while. Then after working hard for what seems a long time, I realize there is still sooooooooooo much to do, and inertia begins to set in, followed by Doubts, and pretty soon I'm beating myself up for being a big procrastinator etc. etc.

Hey, what the heck - it's a hobby! - not a job. Take a break, get some distance, do something else for a while to restore your enthusiasm. Our pioneer forfathers had it right when they got the whole community involved to "raise" a barn. Maybe it's time to throw a construction party with some friends. Maybe get that budgie a little more involved!

Good luck
Val
 
I'm with Val on the idea of taking a break from the layout. It will be there when you return. :) Sometimes when I want to work on the layout but am overwhelmed by too many projects I tape a foot long strip of carboard to the facia in front of my railroad and only work within the limits of that space. It helps me focus instead of jumping around and not completing anything. Casey, I like those fine rusty gears!
Ralph
 
I agree with Val too, that sometimes you can swamp yourself with too many unfinished projects.
Taking a break never hurt anyone. It might help clear your head, & give you some new ideas.
Another thing that can be a good motivator, is to just take one project, (installing a pair of couplers, for instance) & finish that...it's always inspiring to get something new on the layout.
 
I've been through that sequence of events Val described many times! When you get to the part where you beat yourself up, its time to realize its a hobby, not a job, and walk away from it for awhile. Its usually not long before the desire returns. Casey, nice shot!

Gary
 
Originally posted by Charlie
I agree with Val too, that sometimes you can swamp yourself with too many unfinished projects.
Click to expand...

When that happens to me, I don't get unmotivated as much as I don't know where to begin or I feel all the tasks are too big for the time I can spend on that modeling session. Sometimes I just feel "stuck". When that happens I either take a break from it, just look things over and think about where I want to go with the hobby, or set a goal and goa fter it. The goal may or may not be to finish a particular project or even a step in a project. Last time the goal was to use up all my trucks, wheelsets and couplers.
 
I finally jus' hadda si'down an' start prioritizin' my projects, and stick to 'em no matter what. At the start of each month, I list four MR projects that must be completed before I can have 'fun.' It's workin' as I have started to 'clear out' the unfinished stuff.;)
 
I was in a slow period for awhile. Then this idea of a Gauge Railway got me started again. After I finished the boxcar I did I started a couple more car kits that were sitting on the shelf. That and the three old time milk cars(ref:Only men......thread) the better half bought. Now I'm rolling again.
 
This thread was just begging to be recovered from the Archives.I hope somebody else finds the posts written here over 2 years ago as valuable as i have!!!

I would love to see more folks expand on this as to what motivates them,how they stay motivated and /or how they find time and structure it so they keep moving forward to the day that thier Modeled World and RR are open for business :)
 
One thing that has really helped me fight off the RR blues is to make modeling as convenient as possible. I have a dedicated, organized, sit down workspace with all of my tools and basic accessories like couplers and wheel sets visible and easy to access. Beside these items I have a VCR,DVD and mini-tv. Unfinished and new kits and RR related books and magazines are stored on shelves above the work-bench.
When I don't feel like building anything I sit down, turn on the History channel or a movie then sit back and watch. Pretty soon I find myself reaching for a project to tinker with during the commercials. The tinkering gets more interesting than the TV and an hour or two later I'm well on my way to finishing another kit.

PB
 
I have two major hobbies... MRRing and RC flying. I can't fly all the time because of weather.. so this give me time to do RR things as well. Also I tend to lean to one or the for an extended period of time.... so when I come back it is all fresh and exciting.


One thing I DO find that kills my enthusiasm is when I come across a problem I can't seem to solve. Even if it is not one of my "hot" projects, it just bothers me that I can't see the solution. I try and get that problem fixed first so my creative side can be released.

Sometimes a break is necessary as well but I always come back to my trains. Been doing this asince I was about 12... so that is 34 years.
 
I slapped down an Oval to break in a new loco that i got last year.As i watched it slowly go around and around it got me to thinking,then it got me to doing.Pretty soon I had laid another 20+ feet of mainline.That little engine was still going around so i played with the throttle a bit,hmmmmm how slow can we go?? how about trying out the momentum,hey cool that works really good.OK back to breaking in.I pulled out a trestle kit i had been working on and built a couple more bents.Pretty soon it was supper time and time to take down the oval.
5 minutes to set up an oval and several hours of work accomplished simply due to the mesmerizing and motivational affects of a 3" long miniature SD-9 sporting her DM&IR colors and looking for a string of ore cars to haul.Next time maybe i'll put out the ore cars too :D
 
I'm having trouble getting anything done on my big home layout.I think the main reason is that it hurts to much to stand for very long.

Fortunately I have a smaller layout that I can fuss with while sitting down.I have to sit down to work on it actually since it is just under 33" to the railhead and I am 6'1" tall. :D Only real problem is the track plan is way to simple at the moment and nees some serious reworking.

Oh well the little layout (currently only 24" wide) keeps my interest UP!).

Maybe after back surgery I can get fired up to get the big layout going again.
 
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