Motivation
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
Lack of motivation can come from several couple places: 1) Burn-out: You need a vacation or a change of scenery. 2) Laziness: Uh... if someone figures this one out let me know. 3) New Career: This one might be me unfortunately. After 10 years of employment I've come to the startling realization that while I still love problem solving, I don't get any enjoyment from programming any more. I used to care not just about getting it done, but getting it done cleanly, clearly, and efficiently. Now it's just getting it done. For me, I think it's time to go back to school... some form of engineering maybe. Hopefully starting over isn't something you'll be faced with.
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Lack of motivation can come from several couple places: 1) Burn-out: You need a vacation or a change of scenery. 2) Laziness: Uh... if someone figures this one out let me know. 3) New Career: This one might be me unfortunately. After 10 years of employment I've come to the startling realization that while I still love problem solving, I don't get any enjoyment from programming any more. I used to care not just about getting it done, but getting it done cleanly, clearly, and efficiently. Now it's just getting it done. For me, I think it's time to go back to school... some form of engineering maybe. Hopefully starting over isn't something you'll be faced with.
Matt Philmon wrote:
Laziness: Uh... if someone figures this one out let me know.
Start hanging around people and/or making friends with the type of person you want to be. Pretty soon it'll start rubbing off on you. Jeremy Falcon
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
I think back to my days in college, when my wife and I were newly married. We were both in school; I was the only one working, and at that I was only part-time. Even though my income was below the poverty line, We weren't eligible for public assistance because I wasn't receiving public assistance to pay my tuition. I remember times when the only thing we had to eat was a 10 pound bag of potatoes that we stretched for a week. That motivates me to bust my ass and do everything I can to make my employer think I'm indispensible. If I can't find anything product-related to do, I find something useful to do, even if it's only tweaking our build process, reviewing old code, or even straightening up our lab.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
I have a 2001 Harley Davidson Road King Classic that I gear up and go ride when I get into a funk like you're talking about. For some reason, finding an empty winding road just seems to drive away the clutter in my brain and then I'm good for a while again. Either that or I close my office door, mute the computer sound, turn down the phone ringer and then pull the stopper out of my bottle of single malt scotch (time of day permitting of course) and enjoy a small sip. The latter is more often chosen when it's raining, the former when it's sunny and warm. Mike Poz
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I think back to my days in college, when my wife and I were newly married. We were both in school; I was the only one working, and at that I was only part-time. Even though my income was below the poverty line, We weren't eligible for public assistance because I wasn't receiving public assistance to pay my tuition. I remember times when the only thing we had to eat was a 10 pound bag of potatoes that we stretched for a week. That motivates me to bust my ass and do everything I can to make my employer think I'm indispensible. If I can't find anything product-related to do, I find something useful to do, even if it's only tweaking our build process, reviewing old code, or even straightening up our lab.
Software Zen:
delete this;Gary R. Wheeler wrote:
bust my ass and do everything I can to make my employer think I'm indispensible.
Too bad that doesn't mean a bloody thing now-a-days. I've been the best in my department many times, and have had the knife slammed into my back by management nearly every single time. Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic
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Matt Philmon wrote:
Laziness: Uh... if someone figures this one out let me know.
Start hanging around people and/or making friends with the type of person you want to be. Pretty soon it'll start rubbing off on you. Jeremy Falcon
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
Start hanging around people and/or making friends with the type of person you want to be. Pretty soon it'll start rubbing off on you.
I thought that was why people came here? ;) So if I hang out with people with happy marriages, I won't have a strike three? :~ Codefrog/Rex have you got an extra plate? My treat, your place? _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Gary R. Wheeler wrote:
bust my ass and do everything I can to make my employer think I'm indispensible.
Too bad that doesn't mean a bloody thing now-a-days. I've been the best in my department many times, and have had the knife slammed into my back by management nearly every single time. Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic
Do you still work there ? If so, I'm wondering how they reacted to your being an MVP ? Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
I work from home nowadays, and I find that the simple fact that I am unsupervised is a great motivator. If I need more motivation than that, I have 765 heavy metal CDs and a stereo, I know what music gets me pumping. If all else fails, I am in the fortunate position of being able to take note of the time, go out and dig in the garden for half an hour or so, and make the time up later in the day. Some exercise and a brief change of scenery can really help sometimes. When I had an office job, I'd take a walk from time to time, and usually by the time I got back I'd have solved the problem I had been puzzling over. I guess that's different to motivation, but that's the main reason I would take a short break, to mull something over. Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
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Gary R. Wheeler wrote:
bust my ass and do everything I can to make my employer think I'm indispensible.
Too bad that doesn't mean a bloody thing now-a-days. I've been the best in my department many times, and have had the knife slammed into my back by management nearly every single time. Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic
Dave Kreskowiak wrote:
Too bad that doesn't mean a bloody thing now-a-days
True, unfortunately. I look at it as a last-ditch sort of preventative measure. If they're looking to trim staff, I'm hoping they'll keep me around simply because I'm the only one who knows how all the crap jobs work :rolleyes:.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
Start hanging around people and/or making friends with the type of person you want to be. Pretty soon it'll start rubbing off on you.
I thought that was why people came here? ;) So if I hang out with people with happy marriages, I won't have a strike three? :~ Codefrog/Rex have you got an extra plate? My treat, your place? _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
I thought that was why people came here?
Not everyone on CP is productive now are they? ;P
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
So if I hang out with people with happy marriages, I won't have a strike three?
It's not guaranteed, but like-minded people do hang out and get along. And a like-minded cohort is a source of motivation. Jeremy Falcon
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I work from home nowadays, and I find that the simple fact that I am unsupervised is a great motivator. If I need more motivation than that, I have 765 heavy metal CDs and a stereo, I know what music gets me pumping. If all else fails, I am in the fortunate position of being able to take note of the time, go out and dig in the garden for half an hour or so, and make the time up later in the day. Some exercise and a brief change of scenery can really help sometimes. When I had an office job, I'd take a walk from time to time, and usually by the time I got back I'd have solved the problem I had been puzzling over. I guess that's different to motivation, but that's the main reason I would take a short break, to mull something over. Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
Christian Graus wrote:
I have 765 heavy metal CDs
:omg: The most I ever had at once was like 300, and I lost most of them over the years. :-> Jeremy Falcon
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Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
I thought that was why people came here?
Not everyone on CP is productive now are they? ;P
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
So if I hang out with people with happy marriages, I won't have a strike three?
It's not guaranteed, but like-minded people do hang out and get along. And a like-minded cohort is a source of motivation. Jeremy Falcon
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
It's not guaranteed, but like-minded people do hang out and get along. And a like-minded cohort is a source of motivation.
But does that mean he would be more like me, or I would be more like him? I wouldn't want to cause a divorce... :omg: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) -- modified at 21:15 Monday 19th June, 2006
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Jeremy Falcon wrote:
It's not guaranteed, but like-minded people do hang out and get along. And a like-minded cohort is a source of motivation.
But does that mean he would be more like me, or I would be more like him? I wouldn't want to cause a divorce... :omg: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) -- modified at 21:15 Monday 19th June, 2006
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
But does that mean he would be more like me, or I would be more like him?
Um... arm wrestle for it. :laugh: Jeremy Falcon
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Christian Graus wrote:
I have 765 heavy metal CDs
:omg: The most I ever had at once was like 300, and I lost most of them over the years. :-> Jeremy Falcon
Perhaps I bought some of yours on ebay, from the friends who helped you 'lose' them :P Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
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Perhaps I bought some of yours on ebay, from the friends who helped you 'lose' them :P Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
:doh::laugh: Jeremy Falcon
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
I just get up and take a walk. Not the kind where you stop to chat; I head out the building and walk about a half mile. Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
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Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
But does that mean he would be more like me, or I would be more like him?
Um... arm wrestle for it. :laugh: Jeremy Falcon
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
Um... arm wrestle for it.
hmmmm... but what if his wife beats me at arm wrestling? or his children?? :~ although... the legos sound like fun! :cool: I don't think they would turn me away if I showed up with ALL the lego kits.... _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work? If so, what helps? No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with the motivation to keep working...
FlamTaps wrote:
Does anybody else have those days where you lack any and all motivation to do anything productive? Or feel like you don't have any direction in which to work?
I grab any movie heavy in computer generated effects. I think to myself... can I do that? and I do so. It is why I have a particle engine based on mass of objects ... hmmm... hitting each other :rolleyes: and various other things. A customer needed stage drop off animation, so I watched Apollo 13 again.... hmmm... speaking of which... we have an apollo like launch station to build... now where is that tape filed? :-> _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Jeremy Falcon wrote:
Um... arm wrestle for it.
hmmmm... but what if his wife beats me at arm wrestling? or his children?? :~ although... the legos sound like fun! :cool: I don't think they would turn me away if I showed up with ALL the lego kits.... _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)