I had originally intended this as a private email to Dexterity, but then I thought it might be useful to get everyone's opinion...to see if anyone else is feeling the same way I am now.

Dexterity, I read your articles about motivation and setting goals, and they really inspired me. In the last four months or so, I've exhaustively studied some excellent programming books (Josuttis' "C++ Standard Library, A Tutorial and Reference", Meyer's "Effective C++", "More Effective C++", and "Effective STL", McShaffry's "Game Coding Complete" and Dalmau's "Core Techniques and Algorithms in Game Programming"). By setting hard goals I've learned a heck of a lot more about game programming and would now rate myself about a seven on a ten-point scale, where I was previously a five. In a few months I will finish the books on my list and start coding my first "real" game.

I've also lost about thirty pounds by playing a half-hour of Dance Dance Revolution at least four days a week (along with some other exercises) and limiting my calorie intake.

I've gotten a lot done and exhibited willpower and discipline I'd never believed possible. Which is good, right?

The problem I'm running into now is that my life feels like it's nothing but numbers, a progress bar that never ends. Do 16 pages of the book each day. Code at least one new program demonstrating one new topic every day. Burn 240 calories every day. Do 30 situps and 30 pushups every day. Eat no more than 1800 calories a day. Spend no more than one hour in the evenings on the computer, etc, etc, etc.

I guess the real problem is that I'm right smack in the middle of all my goals - I don't have the interesting aspects of just starting (Wow, can I really do this?) nor do I have the exhiliration of actually completing any of my goals yet.

So I wanted to ask, Dex, have you (or anyone else here) been in this situation? If so, how do you stay motivated when it feels like you're just on a treadmill?

Badman

Yes, I have.

My solution is to get off the treadmill.

I take at least one day out of the week, and don't do any work, don't worry about any tasks, exercising, etc. I probably still watch my diet intake, but for the most part I take a break from everything I feel I need to work on.

I didn't start doing this in order to "feel better" per se, rather because it's part of my faith in Christ. However, that appears to be one of the results of resting for a whole day. Come late evening, I am chomping at the bit to get back to work on my tasks/goals/plans/dreams!

Anthony

take it easy badman.

a tortoise eats a little, moves a little and lives for 150 years. be a tortoise.

There are two elements people usualy forget:

1. Unrealistic goals: i can do x km. thats my limit. but if i were to do it everyday, or even 90 percent of it, i'll wear out in a week. also, when scheduling many the goals together, you only take into account the energy needed to do each activity by itself while disregarding how much will be left for the other activities. sure you can jog 5km each day, also do situps and read x pages, but its hard to know if you can do all together.

2. Plan is a base for changes. If you see you're always reaching 50%, set your goals to 55%. also, take into account that the human body will not always give you the same performance. each day you have different ambition/mood, health, energy left and other factors. make a couple of different tasks for you to choose from, who said there could be only one plan? why not 3? you can choose best when youll wake up tomorrow morning.

-Gil

Stop now.

If you want to do this, I have a really bad feeling for you. Your goals have gone overboard. Don't let them take over your ENTIRE life, they are more a guideline then something you have to pressure yourself to 24.5 hours a day...

Also,

"Spend no more than one hour in the evenings on the computer"

You will never get anything done at this job like that... :D I am on it for probably 5 hours.... 4 of which are SOLID working time. (but, I work all day at it)

And, BTW I picked "Trying for a "Ludicrous Kill" in UT2K4.", more to give you an idea then me... I don't actually do that, but it is by far one of the best breaks you can take.

Originally posted by gilzu
There are two elements people usualy forget:

1. Unrealistic goals: i can do x km. thats my limit. but if i were to do it everyday, or even 90 percent of it, i'll wear out in a week. also, when scheduling many the goals together, you only take into account the energy needed to do each activity by itself while disregarding how much will be left for the other activities. sure you can jog 5km each day, also do situps and read x pages, but its hard to know if you can do all together.

-Gil

Hi Gil,

I respectfully disagree with that model of thinking; I use to think like that. Up until a few months ago, I use to think that I had a finite amount of energy each day...that I should conserve it by pacing myself during the day.

Then I started realizing some things after beginning to exercise each day. I noticed that when I exercised intensely, I would have *more* energy for the next activity; I would feel *more awake* instead of tired.

When I exercise intensely...I have more energy for programming work afterwards...but after 1-2 hours of exercising, I don't have as much energy for physical work. Why is this happening?

So then...
I started categorizing my activities based on the physical/emotional/mental abilities needed. Then I practiced a new model of thinking...
the new model was...
that I have a limited amount of *TIME* in EACH category for the day; after using up that time...I would be ineffective in that category. For example, I would have 1.25 hours of time to exercise each day. After I pass that time threshold, I become ineffective and lazy.

For programming, I noticed that I would have 3 hours each day before I became ineffective. Once I passed that threshold, it would be more effective to spend my time on design or documenting or something else. Of course, one can slowly increase the threshold of time (from 3 hours to 3.25 or 3.5 hours of programming time through concerted work over a month or two).

And for some reason, if I used my energy intensely in one category it would carry over to another category.

For example, if I programmed with intensity early in the morning (and make the most out of my "programming" category)...I would have a lot of energy when exercising or e-mailing or marketing things.

That's the jist of the model. I have a more complicated one with a deeper theory...but I've exhausted my "posting" time for the day ;)

So I think that's the model that works better. Categorize your day and see how the energy in one category carries over into another one. You will only feel drained if you are doing 2 activities that fall into the same category.

Later,
FinishIWannaBeA

Originally posted by FinishIWannaBeA

I started categorizing my activities based on the physical/emotional/mental abilities needed. Then I practiced a new model of thinking...
the new model was...
that I have a limited amount of *TIME* in EACH category for the day; after using up that time...I would be ineffective in that category. For example, I would have 1.25 hours of time to exercise each day. After I pass that time threshold, I become ineffective and lazy.

That's pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing.

It also explains why 8 hours of non-energizing on-the-side work is a such a bad idea. It sucks the life out of you - and it's hard to get your energi level up after that.

If you HAVE to work on the side, preferably something with very differing activities?

Staying motivated is very tough. Talking about it helps and maintaining a variety in life helps a lot also.

Last semester at school I got 3 A's and a C. I was very happy with my grades. I took 4 classes, worked 20-30 hours a week, and I was programming my game in my spare time. I had quite a few large programming assignments to deal with also. I was on a roll, everything was going good. Hanging out with friends when I found time and playing basketball really helped.

After school got out at the end of May, I fell into a big slump. No more studying for tests or scrambling to complete programming assignments, etc. Work got really slow and I was working 10-15 hours a week. At that point, I couldnt even look at my computer, let alone program my game. I was in the slump for about 3 weeks, just flipping channels on the TV and sleeping in until 12pm.

Well, I am out of the slump now. How did I get out? Its not a one word answer, it was many things.

Dexterity's article "From Slumped to Supercharged" helped out a lot. It felt that the article was written for me because it talked about the exact things that I was going through. Also, I forced myself to get up early everyday and play basketball. I live in San Francisco, so I would go out to the beach and enjoy nature. I love baseball, so I went to quite a few games (like 3 a week). The A's are a great team to watch and the Giants have a beautiful ballpark.

Slowly, I got out of the slump. I set small goal for each day as far as programming. When I started to see real progress in my game, my motivation slowly started to come back.

Originally posted by FinishIWannaBeA
I respectfully disagree with that model of thinking; I use to think like that. Up until a few months ago, I use to think that I had a finite amount of energy each day...that I should conserve it by pacing myself during the day.

sure you disagree.
each and every one of us works differently, have different goals and different ways to get there. If my way of getting "there" is a way i like, and works well for me, why should it be wrong?

Originally posted by Straightarrow
That's pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing.

It also explains why 8 hours of non-energizing on-the-side work is a such a bad idea. It sucks the life out of you - and it's hard to get your energi level up after that.

If you HAVE to work on the side, preferably something with very differing activities?

Yeah,

That's what the theory says. That's why most of the folks here that try to code at work during the day and then come home to code the game at night don't get as far.

In fact...when I think of full-time indies...they either tried to go at it full-time from the start...or made the game at their work (thus channeling the work energy into the game).

If I have to "work on the side"...it will be one of two things...
1) Janitor Job (because I can use that time to think; I do not drain my coding energy for the day)

or...

2) Contract work related to my company's goals

Originally posted by gilzu
sure you disagree.
each and every one of us works differently, have different goals and different ways to get there. If my way of getting "there" is a way i like, and works well for me, why should it be wrong?

Well,

I agree that we all work differently. But have you tried the model I suggested?

Sure, your way may work. I use to think the way you mentioned....and it worked to an extent.

Consider this...
When it comes to sending messages, snal mail works. But, e-mail works so much better. New technologies or perceptions can really make the difference.

Later,
FinishIWannaBeA

This is a really interesting question.

I mean, could it be that while people need structure in their lives, that some kind of... um.. unstructure.. is also necessary?

I tend to err on the side of unstructure, so I'm not quite sure how you can fix this... but it kinda sounds like you need to write into your schedule a block of time for "Something I've never done before", or "Something I haven't done in a long time", or "Something completely and totally random in every possible sense". Maybe you should take up a hobby that is by its very nature impossible to quantify, like an art of some kind.

I mean, the numbers in your life are an important means to an end. But they don't inspire you. So you have to find something that does.

On the other hand, it may also be that this is simply a product of being part-way through your journey. You know now that you can reach the finish line, but it still seems so far away. If that's the case, the solution may be simpler - take a vacation. No treadmilling for one week. Maybe head to a beach or something, visit some family and/or old friends. If this problem is one inherent to the process - and not a personal one - then it should be the same as any other cause of stress. That is, even a little bit of time away from that cause will do you a world of good.

Just my $0.02.

how do i stay motivated?

before i start (or sometimes even after the first steps of action) i make a plan. a business plan. a masterplan. a what-do-i-will-get-out-of-this-adventure plan.

i show this plan to other people around me: friends, co-workers etc i get feedback from them. that feedback is highly motivating ('feedback' is such a poor expression for that joyfull process i mean...) even better: that feedback shows me the weak parts of my plan. my plan is always in motion (not the main goal offcourse!) is always becoming better.

from time to time i refer to my plan and see where i am, how much i already have accomplished. that motivates me a lot. seeing how i reach milestone after milestone keeps me going.

[QUOTE=FinishIWannaBeA]That's the jist of the model. I have a more complicated one with a deeper theory...but I've exhausted my "posting" time for the day ;)[/QUTE]

so you are working on your first book then? anyway your time model helped me a lot to see things in a different light, thank you.

Hehe,

I'm working on a book, but it's not related to self-realization. Maybe I'll do that later ;) I have a lazy schedule for the book at the moment, so don't expect it coming out soon.

In any case...hopefully the folks reading the "Personal Dillema, in need for advice :)" thread think about this time model.

Basically, spending 9-5 in pure misery will adversely affect other parts of your day.

Later,
FinishIWannaBeA