Motivation?

murphda2

Super Moderator and KD Blade Show Boss
What do you guys do to get motivated to go to the shop when you are exhausted?

I got back to Mississippi Sunday evening from being home for the weekend around 6 pm and got to the shop around 8. The next thing I knew it was 3 am (yes I had to be at work a few hrs later). As soon as I got in from work yesterday I went to the shop then came back for dinner and then back to the shop soon afterward. I left the shop a little after midnight last night. Now today, I can't seem to find the motivation to head that way. I'm exhausted!

I have a big project due on Saturday morning back in Arkansas and really need to get to work finishing it. Maybe after a good night's sleep (tornado sirens woke me last night) I'll have the motivation tomorrow.

Sorry for rambling, my brain is on overload. Too much caffeine and not enough sleep I guess.
 
That is often a dilema for me. I want to get orders out the door for customers who are waiting for them but I know I am not doing my best work if my heart and mind aren't in the game. If I am not feeling up to the task I am better off staying out of the shop as I will likely just end up doing it over again. I think it is better to make customers wait another day or two than to waste time doing work that will not be what I want to send out.
 
I get real motivated when one of my girls calls to watch the grandkids.

Seriously....I'm useless without enough sleep. I'm out of the house by 5:30 am and home by 5:30 usually. My best trick has been to go right into the shop as soon as I get home, even if it's only an hour or so. Luckily my livelyhood doesn't depend on my knife orders.

Rudy
 
I completely agree Mike. I have the blade 90% complete ( need to sand some scratches out that I put in it resquaring the shoulders for the guard). What has killed me has been cutting the slots in the guard and spacers. I've spent two nights getting the guard and spacers filed to fit.

I need to have this one complete for delivery on Saturday morning for an awards ceremony back in Arkansas. The only thing going in my favor is that the reciepient does not yet know that he is getting it. I was told today that if I can't get it done, they can present it to him at a later date. I just don't want to have him wait.
 
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even though I'm a builder,and not a maker,there have been a couple knives I was doing file-work on the took a lot of time.
I'd get up at 4:00 am to be at work for 6:15, then get home around 6-7 PM.
I'd head into the shop until 9-10,sometimes forgetting to make dinner...
And on weekends,I'd be in the shop from 7-8 AM until 10-11PM.
I did that all one summer,
and got burned out and couldn't focus for hours...
You HAVE to have some 'Me' time, even if it's only half an hour for a walk around the block,
which is what I started doing,and I got my wind back right away.
Leave the cell phone at home,go for a 1/2 hour stroll,and have some 'You' time.
 
Murph,

I have a VERY understanding wife ! One thing I do is keep the blade I'm working on laying on the kitchen counter. Kinda the opposite of outta sight outta mind. When I have it sitting there I can't resist picking it up and playing with it and thinking about my next step etc etc etc. Basically I let the blade be my motivator and once I open the door to the shop I'm good to go.

That being said it sounds like you really needed some good sleep which is a different problem then lack of motivation.

Josh
 
You're probably right Josh. I'm feeling a bit better this morning, but reality has set in and I seriously doubt I can have this project ready in time for Saturday. I guess the reason I'm beating myself up is that I normally do my best work on any kind of project when I'm sleep deprived and under extreme stress (too much time working for Uncle Sam I guess).

I'll get back at it this afternoon when I get in frommwork and see what happens. Hopefully that good night's sleep from last night will carry me thru.
 
I did notice that too;
when my brain and body were just drained,and my eyes were getting heavy,it seemed to unlock some serious creative juices...
(I used to write and draw a lot,and the wee hours of the morning were when the creativity seemed to flow the best)
 
Rest is good. You don't want to screw up and then spend more time trying to fix that mistake. You can't rush making a knife.
-John
 
You can't rush making a knife.
-John

+1

Can't sleep at the wheel - pun intended.

It sounds like you're taking orders. If that's the case you are providing a service, with a time-line, in return for payment. For me when there's a lot of work to do in the shop the motivator is just that: I'm providing a service. Even though I'm a part-time maker, I'm not smart enough to behave differently from my full-time job (Crime Scene Cleanup) and my other part-time job (Trauma/Surgical ICU RN) - it's "go time" all of the time :)

Make a pot of coffee and hit the shop man! ;)

BC
 
I have taken a few orders for payment, but I have informed the guys that they would receive the knives as I have time to work on them. I know that all three of the blades I have orders for would be intended Christmas presents, so I'm going to try really hard to get them done by then. Hopefully I will have time to get them done by then.

The project I have been working on is a "freebie" which is intended to be a retirement presentation. After alot of thought last night and a good night's sleep I decided to make the call that I would not be able to meet the Saturday deadline. I have no doubt I could finish the knife in time, but I don't think I would be happy with the quality of work if I did.
 
+1 for your decision Murph;
commitment to the best quality you can achieve should always be the prime objective.
God probably could have created Everything in 5 days,but He took 7 to make sure it was the best He could do ;)
 
Nearly every knife I have screwed up was because I rushed it. It takes less time to do it right once than it does to do it over again.
 
Good plan Murph!

That's one of the reasons I do not take orders. When, and if, I ever go full-time I will. Not now, not with the type business I run.

All part of the fun!

BC
 
My wife is in college right now, she hates her Geology class. She keeps asking me questions, if I don't know she upset, if I do know she doesn't agree with me. Tired and in the shop is not always bad. But, when you get to tired to be safe, take a few hours get up early and hit it again. I proud of being able to count to ten without removing my shoes.

Just my 2 cents
 
Murph, you know what makes me tired? YOU DO! Maybe we should chug on over to mamby-pamby land where maybe we can find some self confidence for you, ya JACK WAGON! Tissue?
 
...tissue?
...mamby-pamby land!!
iran-eng_17b75dcd35733148d682e2850a.gif
 
Murph, you know what makes me tired? YOU DO! Maybe we should chug on over to mamby-pamby land where maybe we can find some self confidence for you, ya JACK WAGON! Tissue?

THAT has to be the best commercial I have ever seen. Period.

Good one Denny!
 
[video=youtube;uaFy0x_Uixo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaFy0x_Uixo[/video]
 
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Ya know Denny, I was thinking of a response and then remembered getting my hand slapped last time I made a comment like that. So, you're right, I'll quit whining. Thank you for the attitude adjustment.
 
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