It seems on most projects anymore, I fall victim to the "Paralysis of Analysis". When I was a young Hot Rod guy,... I would systematically do one job on a project at a time until it was done and went to the next,..... as I get older (and seem to be working on multiple projects at the same time) I tend to look at the whole picture and Analise it,.... this sets the ol' gray matter into a hyper drive,... Until I just sort of shut down,... I find myself sitting on my stool in the shop,... just staring at the car, and not doing anything except trying to mentally compile a systematic approach, as my mind wanders over to the car next to it,... and it begins again. As it stands, I am working more then I ever have,... but getting less done. (read that,... almost nutt'in) I find myself solidly stuck in the dreaded "Shotgun Approach" ,... A situation that I have seen others fall victim to just before they burnt out all together,..... I am working so hard because I am spreading all my time between three or four cars at the same time,... so the progress on all of them is V-E-R-Y S-L-O-O-O-O-W,.... This is how the progression goes,... I'm working on the Deuce Roadster, when a pal calls and asks, "can you do such and such for me",... Sure ,..I can help you out,.... Then another guy wants to potentially buy one of your projects,... but you still need to put engine & Trans mounts in it and finish up the steering ,.... Ok that won't take to long So you roll it into the shop and start on that. Than A deal on a basket case comes up, But you have everything to make it a roller,.... and it's a lot easier to move around a roller than a huge pile of parts on the floor,..... "Shoot" (I say to myself) that won't take too long,..... In the mean time you look at the Deuce Roadster still sitting in it's stall (Knowing it wouldn't take much to finish) languishing and getting really dusty, and getting mad at yourself for not getting it finished,... because you need to sell it when it's done to do some renovations on the Shop,... and finish a couple other cars that are in the Barn. (Not to mention finishing a new house that is only 3/4 done) This leads to the "Paralysis of Analysis" Trying to Analise everything at the same time because of your Shotgun Approach,... and you just look at the task before you, in one lump sum,.... (which is overwhelming) and it Paralyzes you,........ I know what I have to do,.... I need to go back to the "One gets Done" philosophy,.... So as of today, I am back on the Deuce Roadster,... and I will try not to "fall off the wagon" and back into the "Shotgun Approach". Sooooo,....... This brings me to a few question's of the HAMB brotherhood,.... (sister HAMB'ers are brothers too,.... well, kind of ) Am I alone here ? Is this a compulsive disorder ? Do you ever find yourself in this situation? I'm heading back to the shop,... Wish me luck !
This is awesome. My father was the most anti-car-a.d.d. guy I know. He refused to throw money and time at more than one project at a time. Every time I feel myself drifting towards needing to work on something else, or "hey, that's a nice model a sedan, and I've got the chassis and motor, I could just get the body and flip it" kinda stuff..........I call my dad, and he sets me straight. My dad is like an AA sponsor for hot rod projects......everybody needs one. I had to call him last night because I could feel myself slipping off the wagon, and today, I'm ready to roll on with my current project. He could start a "project counseling" service. Kind of like a hot-rod life coach.
I feel your pain... Not just with cars, but with my businesses, home, familiy etc... I need to do the "one gets done" in each of these areas and get out of neutral.
I find that I am just the opposite. I look at a project, dive in and go full steam ahead. There may be two or three at the same time but i just keep forging ahead. The down side is I don't stop to think, maybe I should drill the Wishbones or would it be cool if i do ..... Instead I just pour my energy into it. Make it as nice as I possibly can and the next thing you know it's done. But sometimes I look back and wonder if I shouldn't have done "More"
The only thing nice about having multiple projects is that you can always find something at a flea market for one of the projects. You never get skunked. For me that just dilutes the available funds which I find slows progress even more. In stead of building up the funds for that high dollar item, I keep bleeding off funds for a cheaper part that I need for a different project. I finally did what you are doing and just made a decision to only work on and spend money on only one project until it was done. Don't forget to call your buddies when it's time for you to need some help.
Good Lord YES. I can get stuck in a circular-logic of trying to solve something that really shouldn't be so hard. Eventually I push my self away and back into it and get something done. I question how in the world it has taken me sooo long to get where I have with my projects. I do know there are weeks that go by where I can't get 5 minutes in the garage, but that's a whole other matter.
I'm with you on the analysis paralysis, though I'm only working on one car. I've built cars before, but this is my first hot rod, and first ground up/frame off. Done engine swaps on imports, and a progression of a jeep into a buggy, swapped frames and axles on other jeeps, but this is all new. It's certainly a challenge. Not just replacing one thing here and there, but building it as a system. I thought I had a good plan, but inexperience and a lack of knowledge has proven a challenge. I can sit back and visualize something, try to visualize how it will fit in as a component of the system, but then two steps down the line I end up having to do it over. Frustrating, and doing it by myself makes it tough as I don't have that group to bounce ideas off of, to be told how to do it, or to help. But, I've wanted this for almost 20 years now? So I'll get there.
Holy crap! Good luck, man.....I identified with what you wrote, so much so, that it gave me anxiety! Worse, it's happening in my business, and everywhere else, now too. I think whenever I do completely fall off my both ends burning candle of high function, I am probably gonna need help just tying my shoes!
The HAMB is the best group in the world to get information from,.. the knowledge on this board is "world class","top notch" And literally "Second to none" Don't lose heart, you'll get it. One of the most important things you must learn in building Hot Rods,.... Everybody say it with me ,......... "TACK WELDING"
Good topic for disscusion. If you like the old cool stuff like we do... it is hard to focus on one all the time, to me.
Not really because I'm not sure I'm ever totally satisfied with the finished car, always thinking I could have done more If only I had spent more time looking and dreaming. My buddy calls it "Buggy Sitting" (his first project was a Myers Manx) and he uses the term for staring at his Model A as well. Here's the other odd part, When they are done, i am known to sit in the garage, with a glass of Gentlemen Jack on the Rocks, Blues (or maybe Led Zeppelin) on the stereo and stare for hours admiring lines or details, especially on old Race Motorcycles.
I had that problem. So every time I felt overwhelmed I found a job I could complete and worked/finished it. Usually that would help and I'd go a while before succumbing to Paralysis by Analysis again. Then I'd find another small project etc.
I keep thinking about selling/trading all of my projects and getting one driver, unfortunately that would result in me tearing apart the driver and rebuilding it my way. Not to mention I would just re-collect more projects and parts similar to the ones I have now, since I have collected the cars I have now because they are cars that I wanted in the first place......catch22!! Anyone want to trade a 28-29 ford close cab truck for a bunch of cool project cars? Maybe not!
I'm with you Harm-"like a blind dog in meat house" as my old daddy says. Can't get any traction on one, because they all get a liitle work. Focus and disciplne is the key. It may not be too much of stretch to read a little of Luke 10:41b-42a into this. That might resonate a little.
Paralysis can be a good thing! It's kept me from "just doing" an idea, to later analyze what a bad idea that was
You know you have it bad when you started building a hot rod and over the time span of the unfinished hot rod project you discover that you have an unfinished "Traditional Rod" Its kind of like discovering that all of your favorite songs are now played on the oldies station instead of the mainstream radio stations!!
I know what you talking about, And my first priority stays where HE is (1Cor.15 :57-58) ,... But with the cars, new house & shop.... everything seems to be falling into a domino effect. from the center out (Remember the plate spinning dude that was on the Ed Sullivan Show ?,... that's kind'a what I felt like),..... like I said,... One gets done,.....
Don't laugh,... I felt like a trend setter in the 80's when skinny lapels and skinny ties came back into fashion,...
I've been in a rut for 4 months. Being on the back side of life's journey makes me realize that one finished driveable car is worth more than 20 project cars. ....and maintaining just one driver might be relaxing. I plan to downsize even in a bad market. A very wealthy guy (that I bought back one of my former projects from) is 69 years old and recovering from some heart stuff.... he was standing in his huge fancy playroom with 20 plus restored and project antique trucks and blurted out: " I made a lot of money in my life...and I thought I needed all this stuff" The one thing that was closest to the door that gets used, was a 10 foot jonboat that he now throws in the suv to go fishing. Analize that Now I sit and wonder why did I re-buy a former project that I never finished 20 years ago...when I was younger.
I think everyone sits, looks and tries to figure out the best way to do things. At least I hope so. If you go to working on things without considering all of the angles, you'll end up redoing things time and time again. Some times when I don't like the solutions I've come up with for a problem, I'll move on to some other aspect of the build or work on another project for a while. All the time, the problem is in the back of my head. I've woken up at night when a cure for a problem hits me. (G) As far as sitting and doing nothing, just pick up a wrench and start piddling with SOMETHING. I've found the solution for the doldrums is to start to work and enthusium usually follows when you see some progress. Larry T
The Jalopy Journal
