So I've been doing some exercises lately related to finding what things make one enjoy what they do.
Most were questionnaires that made you think a bit about what you enjoyed about "____" and things you didn't enjoy. The part about what you enjoy usually was there to affirm that you were on the right track, the list about what you didn't enjoy was to get you to put them on paper. The last step was to simply ask you how you can overcome the things you didn't enjoy.
So here is my questionnaire for you. Don't feel obligated to take it or feel like you need to post your answers, it's really just for your own use to perhaps get you to some enlightenment if you're struggling with any of these. If you find at the end that you really hate woodworking, please don't blame me.
What drives you to do woodworking?
There are a lot of things I like about working with wood.
I like the smells from most woods - wood is warm to the touch - when sanding the wood - I love the smoothness.
The grain and color it terrific.
Wood it easy to cut shape and form.
What things prevent you from working or getting motivated in the wood shop?
Well - age and stamina has a lot to do with that, but not everything.
I always say - time is my biggest enemy - there is just not enough of it to be had.
Do techniques keep you from enjoying woodworking?
NO - techniques motivate me.
You gotta keep in mind that I am just as likely to try my hand at hand cut dovetails, hand carving, machine jig dovetails - table saw - scroll saw.
I also see a CNC router as no different than my Jet Drill Press or a gents dovetail saw.
I use CAD and CAM - as well as a Ray Iles mortise Chisel
What things do you not enjoy about working in the wood shop?
Not much.
I spend a lot of years and a lot of dollars to build my dream shop. Mine is NOT as nice or elaborate as a LOT of shops I have seen. Mine is to me a really great shop. I grew up on welfare and in a single mom home with 4 sisters(2 surviving) - a totally non motivated family with a father that was a really severe alcoholic, among other things. If we were a young family in this day and age - he would be in prison. So - compared to the life I grew up in - I live a ROYAL life of the rich and famous.
What I tend to not enjoy is a project or commission that has a time frame on it and I need to get it finished and out of the shop. I also don't really like warranty work.
Reviewing your answers given above about the things that prevent you from working or getting motivated in the wood shop, what steps can you take to overcome some of these?
I can Retire from the day job -- 2020 - not that I am counting
Reviewing your answers given above about what you don't enjoy, what steps can be taken to overcome some of your obstacles?