QUITTER!!! ..are there any head shrinks on here???

do you ever just want to quit?? just get rid of all your projects and get out of it... or maybe just start over with something completley different from the current projects???

i've never been so completely and totaly passionate about anything as i am with old cars... and yet i've never been so completely and utterly frustrated either.
whatever the problem is i know it's in my head... but what is it and how do i fix it???

 

Take a break.

Go do something else NON-CAR related....

Have sex...

Have a beer or ten...

Write down your priorities...

Go visit your buddies...

In about a week you might come back knowing a little more about what you want and where you want to go.

How do I know? I took an 18 month break and I know EXACTLY what I am doing right now... getting rid of EVERYTHING and I have 3 completely different cars coming in. Well... they're the same yet completely different.

Travis

 

Walk away man for a bit. Think NOTHING about cars and DO NO WRENCHING. Do it for your sanity and for your rides sake.

Like magic after a week or two, the passion will return. This often happens to guy who take on more projetcs than they can realistically handle. One at a time.....even then it can be a handful if youre determined to do it on your own.

When your under the pump and shit goes wrong(and it WILL) thats when you are most vulnerable and THAts when most guys sell up.

Take a break - you deserve it...youll be amazed at how the urge willl come back!!

Rat

 

Go kick the shit out of your brother.....get laid......repeat as needed..

 

All these guys are right! Just don't sell. You'll only loose your ass and you WILL be starting over from scratch. We typically take on too much or too many and have unrealistic goals for being where we want to be project wise.
Mine is getting a car on the road that I started 33 years ago and kept garaged ever since the original engine swap becuase I did not have the funds to "do it like I wanted it". So, I have altered my goals. Primer and seats and safe to drive are my new goals (chrome and paint are NEXT years). My first goal was to be done by the end of April (realistic when I set it). My new goal is to be done by the end of May. Maybe and maybe not will
I make it. I try to accomplish one task each time I work on the car. I have begun to realize there are many I have NOT considered. I will adjust my thinking accordingly. Take a break. Don't think cars, just breath, don't try and wrench while hungry, angry, loney or tired and you will regain the desire
to get back to your hot rod. Good luck to you man.
Rod

 

Mike,

Its all in your head!!

Take a short break and get something finished

Brett

 

Been there. Done that. Always remember: "Winners never quit, and quitters never win!" Take a break. Walk away for a while. You deserve it!

 

I'll help you by getting that model A / pickup out of your sight...your head feels smaller already dosnt it ?

 

I'm with Thumper.

 

Don't make any drastic moves, like selling cars, or tools. Take a break. Do something else for a while, like all the others say.
I often feel the same way. The love of the cars, and the process of building is my life. Always will be. Nothing gives me more pleasure, and pain, sometimes. The problem you are experiencing is from outside sources. That is usually a big factor in getting frustrated with your work, and your profession. Working with, or for, bad people sometimes makes your chosen profession seem like a mistake. IT isn't, it's outside influences that are making you question yourself. If this really is your passion, a bit of a break, or distraction will make it go away, and you can continue on with your work! Try to keep away from too many projects, too much pressure, or unreasonably demanding customers.

 

Sometimes SELLING OFF is GOOD...

Get down to one project......

Some years ago, I was where you are now. Discouraged and downbeat.....I had a 32 roadster project, a 49 Mercury coupe project, a 56 F-100 Big Window project. I had a lot of Deuce parts and a bunch of high performance Chevy stuff ( engines, intakes and parts....). A older man told to pick out the one project I valued and wanted the MOST..and get rid of the rest. I considered him a FOOL....but after two or three weeks.....his advice looked better and better. I sold almost everything off but the 32 and 32 parts. It took about 6 months to sell off and clear away the projects and the extra parts. Then I had a pocket full of CA$H and a shop that was cleared out so I could really work on the 32. My attitude and outlook really improved with a pocket full of cash.....and a clean shop......so...I really got busy on the 32....and finished it within 6 months

 

Are you working or laid off right now? If you can take a vacation, from both.

 

Go habng out with Fat Hack. He'll make ya wanna quit even more.

 

All good advice from everyone..............maybe it's been too long since you drove a hot rod. Had a buddy going through the same thing........gave him my ride for the afternoon and he came back a new man. With in a year he had his hot rod on the road and we now enjoy some early morning rides before the traffic hits! Good luck Mike..........your passion will get you thru. We all at some time have fought some demons!! Best wishes bro!

 

sell all your shit to a real hot rodder

ya fuckin pussy

 

Are you a perfectionist? Lower your standards to get shit done. Go Ugly Early. Lessons available.

 

My Father and I both have what my wife refers to as "the mutant car gene".
Last year on his trip from Ga to VT with the 63 C10 which included a Rad and cyl head job on the way we came up with a one-word answer to all the frustrations of HOTRODing.........GOLF!!!! We have yet to do it but when the going gets tuff....one of us says that word and we get a chuckle. Just the threat/idea of selling everything car related and taking up golf keeps us from doing it.
Brett

 

25 years ago I sold a '34 roadster body.. a steel one....NZ guys will know these are not in abundance here.....and walked away from Rodding.....I have made some real big mistakes in my life ....but none as bad as that one
.....take your time to decide.....stand back.....suck in a few deep breaths...and then make your mind up ......your choice is what you will have to live with .....no matter what anybody says ...the choice is yours and yours alone

 

Whining again are you? Sure go ahead and sell. Dump it all at the curb if you want. Then run! Run! Run!

Run as fast as you can! Naked! Blindfolded! And firing a shot gun in all directions! You are free! Free! Free!

You are liberated! You have thrown off the yolk of tyranny! You are experiencing true anarchy!
You are undergoing true epiphany!

You are also in big trouble.

Scene 2

It is 5:24 A.M. Pacific Standard Time. I am awake and have been since 3:34 A.M. Pacific Standard time. I made it through the Hour of the Wolf (3:30-4:30 A.M.) the time when our diurnal brain is usually engaged in deep cycle REM sleep. The time when the human brain drops away and the primative reptilian brain takes precedence. Except for those who are disturbed. Like me.
Instead I spent the hour of the wolf eating Vanilla Ice Cream with Hersheys Chocolate sauce and chopped pecans on top. Such misery....yummmmmm...yes misery..... yummy.
I think of the problems of the world. My ice cream dish is empty. There is cold beer in my refridgerator. Mmmmmmmm. Time for a beer. I will think about the problems of the world later. When the sun comes up. When I can can go outside and do some noisy chores before I head off for work.

Mmmmm. Beer. And later a few bowls of cheerios and then I can resume drinking coffee all day! Coffeeeeeeeee.

Such misery, such self indulgent misery.

 

I am on my 3rd and last go round w cars , burned out the last time and the first it was a young family w no money thing, I am close to quiting for a bit again ,but not completely,NO selling of the tools this time around and I'll keep one old car. j
like has been said -just take a break , I bought a boat last summer and go fishing on non car weekends , I also combine a drag racing /show weekend w a week up at my B-law's lake cabin, antiqing (?) w the other half,fishing, eatin fried fish + wood fire cooked venison and drinkin O'Douls Amber ,(quit drinkin many years ago) helps tremendously, I always feel refreshed after that weekend. (but maybe its all the 'fumes from the drag strip ;D)

 

I sold my car, the car I have wanted for 14 years and have spent hours designing that car on paper and in my head. Im right there with you, Im burned out. Moving across the country took a lot out of me and I have decided to give up cars for a little bit. I get excited and want a car every now and then but just last night I went to sweep my garage and it felt so nice to have an empty garage. Take a break, sometimes it is just not worth the stress.

 

I see we have an heir to the throne.



Anyway...the best advice I can offer is, like most others have said, is to take a break, but that doesn't mean you have to walk away completely. Try taking a small project...even if it's just one piece or part of a sub-assembly, and spend a day or a weekend working it over and making it into something!

Build a cool air cleaner, mess with a bicycle project, do some custom painting...even if just on an old body part or something for fun & practice, maybe do a little detailing or a few simple upgrades to your daily driver.

You know, projects you can start and finish in relatively short order, and have something to stand back and admire. It'll refresh your enthusiasm a bit and motivate you to work your way back up to tackling bigger projects.

Well, it works for ME anyway!

Whaddaya doing this week?

I could cruise out that way and make you wanna quit some more if all else fails...

 

Step away from the vehicle.........................

couldn't tell you how many times i have threatened myself with selling every@*%%$!)*%^%$ thing, and after a night or two completely away from it, have thanked God i didn't

Ge away, go do something else you enjoy, or maybe something you always wanted to check out, and never had the time. Make yourself take a break


...............................and then make a decision

 

"My advise to you- is to drink heavily." Otter- Animal House.


Seriously?

Go to the HAMB Drags. period.

Only 127 days to go....

 

I have to agree, take a break or sleep on it. Their were times I thought I was going to have a melt down because of some of the projects or difficulties with a problem. I find that if I leave it for a day or so, I come back with a better attitude and usaully another way to resolve a problem that I was unable to repair the day earlier.

 

Watch any Mad Fabricators Society DVD or Rendezvous, you will get off your ass and get the job done.

 

And never, ever forget that chicks are attracted to speedy looking cars.

 

Paul sure has a way with words, I'm a car whoarder my clutter buries me and I get frustrated. 3 times in my life (about every 20 years) I've decided to lighten my load and sell my collected stuff for 10 cents on the dollar. its a short time cure because the addiction doesn't go away and my search for new clutter always costs triple+ and is never as good as what I gave away.
put a lock on the shop door and spend some time with family and friends, fishin' and foolin' around for how ever long it takes, and when you unlock that door it will be like finding a treasure chest!!

 

hey, I aint no shrink,
but sometimes a guy responds better to ice water than warm syrup

 

I'm the sort that never finished anything. I get passionate about something and then I get burned out. But I'm still going on the Chevy. Because I don't make the error of having my Chevy be the only point of my life. Life is about balance.

They're right, take a break. Stay on the HAMB, and just soak in the atmosphere. I took some time off to build a deck and do some other things, and now I'm eager to get going again.

Don't sell yourself short. You can't live this hot rod life 24/7/365 without getting sick of it from time to time. Get an outside hobby, something that has no connection to hot rods. The more you stress about the stress, the more stressful the stress is.

Btw, people seem awfully eager to have you kick your brother's ass. Is there something I'm missing??

Tucker