Motivation is Gone

[rabbi]

Even though I'm hitting my car hard this weekend with wax I too have lost the desire to detail. Right now I only do it to get off my butt. I enjoy messing with cars and the end result but my energy and enthusiasm is just not there. Will I ever get it back? Only time will tell.

[Poorboy]

Originally Posted by rabbi

Even though I'm hitting my car hard this weekend with wax I too have lost the desire to detail. Right now I only do it to get off my butt. I enjoy messing with cars and the end result but my energy and enthusiasm is just not there. Will I ever get it back? Only time will tell.

talk to the Whaler ... he'll get you back on the right path

[njcarting1]

This detailing stuff is like a "heroin addict trying to get the same feeling after 100 doses as he did the first time" ITS NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

Please, I have no idea if its true it's what i have read and heard only.Again after 101st dose they call me in.

I feel you can never keep up buying or looking for the ultimate shine after you have gotten to a certain point. You just are wasting time and building stock at a sometimes high cost. Do what ya know and keep your cars/trucks clean waxed and shiny.I am sure they look better than the other 99% running down the roads. I know mine do...

New and improved is a marketing strategy used in every business on the planet. I use what works lasts and is priced right, not what looks good on the shelf.

[Bullitt]

I went through these peaks and valleys often earlier in my detailing days. If I remember right it was just because I under bidded a car and felt I was selling myself short, but failing at the business end of detailing only made me stronger and a lesson learned. Now I will just get to complacent at times, but a dose of the Speed Channel or an Auto Auction on Discovery HD gets my blood boiling for cars and everything about them. Then I'm as good as new, sounds dumb, but if I watch a show where a successful entrepeneur is on TV and able do what he/or she loves for money it drives me to not be content and to not be content until I've at least reached that level.

[groebuck]

I have a similar problem - I get the urge to detail and set up a whole method in my head and then get through my two bucket wash and dry and go...eh...aquawax done! I R LAZEE

[GearHead_1]

Sounds waaaay to familiar to me. I've even had the polishes and equipment sitting ready and wimped out. It's pretty easy when you can blame your joints.

[Jngrbrdman]

Originally Posted by DT08

I don't know what has happened, but I've lost my motivation for detailing cars. I might be in some type of slump or something. Have any of you felt like that and how did you get your motivation back?

Usually I have to go out and detail a car to get the motivation back. As I'm counting my money it is amazing how much better I feel. If I were doing this kind of thing for free or not getting paid what I felt I was worth, then yeah... I would totally get bummed out and quit just like anyone would do with a job they weren't getting paid enough for. I can honestly say that since I've been working for myself in this industry I've never taken a client that I didn't want and I've never dragged my feet on the way to a job. If someone is willing to pay me money to do what I have a passion for, then sign me up. If you've lost the passion then you are going to lose your eye for detail and the quality of your work is going to drive people to the next detailer who advertises. It is dangerous to allow your personal motivation slumps to go too deep, so hopefully you are able to find the joy in detailing again and pull out of it.

[HeavenlyV6]

Its part of it! I am a firm believer that even if it's your passion, breaks from time to time to do other things are a must. I asked my tattoo artist what he does when he gets in a slump, or cannot make his tattoos or drawings come to life. He said he puts it down and comes back to it. I get this way this time of year because the weather is crappy here in Ohio and it's not fun detailing anything when your freezing to death. Haha. Come spring time though, when all the nice cars are on the roads, it comes back to me. Maybe your selling yourself short with your prices, another reason it will not be appetizing to you to work on the vehicle. Take a break, you might pick up on another passion. I did, Mountain Biking! Good luck!

[cartoysautospa]

I have been in this business 20 years, everyday , day in and day out. Allthough we have 4 seasons my business is rain ,sleet , snow etc. . Detailing is a "want and a need " business. retail customer's want it and car detailer's need it. There are few business's that are a want and a need. you have to develop your customer base and work it everyday, market market market. the time to build your business is when it's slow , not when it's busy . as when it's busy you don't have time to market it. My ol sayin when the going get's tough the tough get going. I don't know what you want out of your business, but my business has allowed me a good life. It is what you make it to be.
If your not planting your seeds in the winter months you won't have a crop in the spring.(your crop is your customer base)

[slowride66]

Sometimes your the windshield .


Sometimes your the bug.

It happens to me too.

There is nothing more gratifying than getting paid to make something nice & shinny,
& nothing more deflating than having someone who just don't get it.

I just spent 13 hellacious days on a pig of a 27 foot Bayliner.

For a buddy of mine's dad.
My Buddy talks me up all the time when it comes to detailing .

That little bit 'O confidence helps when speeding into the valley of "detail depression". Just past the halfway point on a large job.

I am getting older my eyes still see everything like I am 20 years old ,"young dumb & full of C**."

But my Butt is dragging & my mind is burnt out from that boat.

Why I push on I don't know I guess I feel there is a goal @ the end of the line,& If I quit now I won't get to know what the goal is/was.

Sometimes you have to be able to zoom.

As a detailer you must know how to zoom in & get to the details ?

Right?

But do you know how to zoom out to see the big picture?

Detailing is a tough business very few people appreciate a good detailer, at least online here you can find like minded people to converse with .

Chances are you are a "detailing derelict " "obsessive compulsive" & can't stand the un-orderly chaos of the world & compulsively need to clean something.

But seriously , I know how you feel step back & take a break for a while & when your ready it will come back to you.

Us Detailer's are a weird breed .
IMHO don't give up .

To Quote Red Green.

"I'm Pulling for Ya, Were all in this together."

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"



SR66