Feeling discouraged- what do you do?

alana r · #1 (**permalink**) 03-14-2009, 06:11 PM

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is doing good!

I was just wondering about how you all keep motivated? I have days where I feel great and get so much work done on my projects and other days where even with good intentions I end up getting very little done. (like today)
Coincidently (or not

)the un-motivated days are the days I get the least traffic, lowest ctr etc

Im not complaining or anything just looking for others personal experiences in working through this.

Lol, I write my ideas down on paper every day and I have loads of things I want to do or need to do (ideas that seem great during the day, that I often think are rubbish by the end of the day), then I go to work in the evening and by the time I come home (which is my only time to actually do the work) I feel totally uninspired (or have lost the piece of paper with that great idea!), so maybe I have answered my own question - my job sucks the inspiration out of me!

Seriously though, does this happen to anyone else? or is it just me? and what do you do about it?

Thanks!

ssmorgan · #2 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 02:11 AM

Alana,

Absolutely! This happens to me also. I am confident it happens to everyone. In fact, I am going to say that if you don't feel discouraged at times, then perhaps you are staying in your comfort zone, and I think that you're not challenging yourself enough... so in a way, it's good, in my opinion, that you feel that way.

It really helps me to keep my goals in front of me. I remind myself of my long term plan, which keeps me focused and motivated. Also, it helps me to figure out how what I am doing today fits with my long term plan (i.e. how what I am doing today will help me achieve my goals). Thinking about it that way, it's hard to be unmotivated.

Sure, I still have some down days, when I feel discouraged and unsure whether it will be worth it in the end... but then, I remind myself that I gotta keep fighting back!

By the way, don't feel guilty about taking a couple of days off. This often refreshes my perspective and helps me stay focused and productive.

Sherif

Benj · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 07:06 AM

I too am often discouraged and unmotivated. I think this is because in the website/blog business the feedback is usually slow in coming. You add something to the website, or make a great post, and then nothing happens. Its hard to be constantly taking tests without ever getting your grades back.

As for creating new content I am usually unmotivated when there is a blank page in front of me. It is so hard to get started. Fortunately I have found a solution that works for me. Near my house is a train station. There is a train that travels to Prague and back. It takes about an hour and only costs 2 dollars. I take my laptop and go for a ride. Sitting on the nice seats with occasional looks out the window, I can usually get a complete rough draft complete before the train completes the round trip. Then when I get back home all I need to do is proof reading and final draft. It works for me because on the train I am forced to write and there are no distractions – no Internet, no family, no tv.

Maybe all you need is a change in venue to get you motived.

lisa · #4 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 12:41 PM

Benj,

This is a great point. Darren Rowse wrote a blog post awhile back with tips on how to come up with fresh content and one thing he mentioned was changing up your venue. I've also found that to be true. A lot of times I like to go to my local coffee shop and blog from there. Something about changing the venue and working from a different environment really helps the thoughts flow.

But back to your original question. I remember in my 3rd year of affiliate marketing, I was still enjoying the process but I still didn't feel that I was making what I should be making for someone who spends so much time online. But I never gave up and just kept trying new things. My point is, as long as you're having fun and enjoy your niche, you'll eventually get there with hard work and persistence.

Although I will say that a big part of my problem back then was I had a site on Internet Marketing/Making Money when I wasn't making much myself so it was the classic story of the website trying to tell people how to make money from an author who hadn't really figured it out herself. I was getting very little traffic and my content wasn't really fresh. I didn't have any of my own personal experiences to draw from. So when I finally created 2 Create a Website in 2002 the motivation was super high because I was writing more from a personal experience and instantly began getting feedback from my audience... which keeps me going.

Hang in there. It's all part of the process.

James · #5 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 02:09 PM

If it is your regular job that "sucks the inspiration out of me!" then that is the place to start. Believe me, I have done some jobs that no one else (or very few) would think of doing. I've been told, "I wouldn't do that for anything!"

What I have found is that I can find a way to work with the job in a positive way somehow if I think about it a while with that objective in mind. It isn't always easy but it is possible. If you look for and find a way to do it, you can even make it enjoyable.

In the face of any negative, smile and say something that works for you. It might be, "Go ahead, be as ugly to me as you want. Putting up with you is paying my bills until my fun job pays enough to dump you forever!" Or, as I have actually said sometimes, "This is why I get the big bucks." Of course you can't always say this out loud, depending on who is around to hear you.

smoke juice · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 03:28 PM

If I don't feel inspired to write an article I spend time creating back links or bookmarking existing posts. This is just busy work for me, it doesn't require a lot of thought or creativity, but it's still important to my site's success. My point is that even if you don't feel motivated to write, there are still plenty of things you can be doing. Don't give up!

TheLadyWrites · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2009, 04:32 PM

sometimes writing isn't the only aspect for working your projects.

some of the things I do when I'm in this state are:

create sticky/post it/ reminder notes of my ultimate goal for each project and place it where I know I'll see it every day, regardless if I am working that day or not. It helps to keep it in my mind, and often it reminds me of the 'great idea's' I had earlier, even if I was unable to write them down first.

I will also create back links either on my site OR to a friend's site(s) - I found that this helps both myself, my friends, and gives me experiences I am able to apply to my projects later. It also goes along w/ my belief of you have to give good to get good.

I will also do something totally crazy, I tickel my lil man, or my lil princess, or take them outside for a walk, or call a friend. All completely unrelated to work, but all keep me remembering why I'm working so hard, which is also a vital part of what we do.

I hope this helps some.

~Cat

smoke juice · #8 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009, 12:49 PM

Hi Cat,
You make a good point about just stepping away from work and enjoying some leisure time. Taking time to relax and play recharges my battery. Unlike the pink bunny, I can't just keep going and going and going.

TheLadyWrites · #9 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009, 01:28 PM

this is 100% true, none of us really can,

unless you like rapid fire burn out... then if that's the cup of tea ya like to drink...

but then to each their own... i hope you have fun today.

eternaltrooper · #10 (**permalink**) 03-16-2009, 01:33 PM

I keep motivated by the fear of never having acheived anything looking back at the end of my life .

alana r · #11 (**permalink**) 03-19-2009, 05:50 PM

Thanks everyone!

I am feeling a lot better today, I actually came back to post a reply here two days ago (when I was still feeling the same) and I couldn't even come up with a reply, I actually wrote one out and then deleted it (I do that a lot) that was about as bad as I got, when I couldn't even think up a quick thank you post to let you all know how much I appreciated your responses, which I do very much!

So thank you everyone, I have started working again but with a much more detailed and realistic - written out, time plan and set goals, I think part of the problem is(or was?), I am so tired! When I started this thread I was working (my "real" job) 12 nights straight without a night off, looking after my kids all day, who were not very well at the time either, and trying to work on my online projects after I finished work each night.

Oh, and I went for a walk today! it felt great to relax a bit

All the best

jayorban · #12 (**permalink**) 03-19-2009, 07:18 PM

try take day off get thoughts back probably working too hard! A day or two sometimes is all you need to get your head straight sometimes and bring that motivation back!

arslan220 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 04:32 AM

i jump in the air.

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