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Have I really accomplished nothing in the past year?

Firus

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Link to original post: [drupal=2544]Have I really accomplished nothing in the past year?[/drupal]



Two nights back, I was really stressed out. (Well, okay, let's be honest, I've been stressed out for about a year+ now, but that's neither here nor there.) I was thinking about how busy I've been, and then casually thought about how I have a "To-do" list backing up to this time last year.

At that point, it hit me...have I really accomplished that little over the past year? I don't mean accomplishing ANYTHING, as I've done okay as far as working goes...but as far as things of personal importance, I've done just about nothing.

The first thing that comes to mind is that, around November last year, I decided I was finally going to work on a sprite comic with the intention of posting a website for it. I've made websites before, so that wouldn't be an issue. The issue would be making the sprite comic. I've made them in the past, but none of them haven't sucked. They were either made up of less than ten strips, because the entire comic was made on a whim, thinking that a small idea could sprout an entire sprite comic when I already had a large one going, or it was that one aforementioned large one. It got to 94 strips and I just quit, because I realized that it had gone everywhere in 94 strips and basically was too random to be funny or even remotely interesting.

Therefore, making a new sprite comic was of some concern to me. I didn't want it to crash and burn again, therefore I decided to actually plan this time (last time I made a fairly large comic, I spent a whole night reading "InSONICnia" and decided to make a sprite comic of my own two days after), and to not rush the planning phase at all. I loved making the sprite comics...but I wanted to make a GOOD one, with an actual plot, and with characters from many video games. That makes it even worse, because I am inept when it comes to making a decent reason for a crossover. I've dabbled in fanfiction too, many of which have been crossovers, and I'm not willing to share any of the ways I explained how worlds collided because they're ridiculously stupid. And all I have to show for this planning is a small Word document of notes and a page of ideas in a rather small notepad of mine, the majority of these ideas being created more recently, in actuality.

But that's not all. There's The Custom Pokémon Shop. I haven't had much time, and even when I do, I lack motivation to finish off the last few sprites of the shop...not that anyone seems to care, but you would think after saying "It's going to be closing" back in July, I would've finished it off by now. I just want it off my mind already.

I've been working on a long rant blog since this time last year. Yes, seriously. I thought it would be done sometime in late June, but when that didn't happen, I anticipated it would be done in another month or two -- because it's not the type of thing you work on all at once, it's the kind of thing I need motivation to write. But no, it still has barely budged.

Basically, I have almost zero free time, and when I actually manage to scrounge it up, stress has gotten to me and I default to relaxing rather than doing. I replay games that I have no reason to replay other than for the lulz, like Paper Mario 2, as opposed to some games like Pokémon Gold which I want to re-complete after accidentally deleting my save file a decade or so ago.

I default to just screwing around, and I don't get anything accomplished. Oh, I've accomplished a few things here or there, but not very much. I didn't even list half of what's on this list, because I keep forgetting about things. I need to start keeping track of them, but even then, I can't guarantee when I'll actually end up doing them.

I don't know what's happened to me that I've accomplished so little in the past year, but it's really bugging me now that I finally realized it.
 
D

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Hmm. This happens to me quite often.

No sleep + Free Time = 6 hour naps.
The key to getting stuff done is not being stressed and getting enough sleep.
 

CRASHiC

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Funny, I had the exact same problem about 3 weeks back, though mine was caused by losing my ability to make music.
My remdy was to pick a new career outlook, and start working incrementally towards it. However, I've since change my outlook from becoming a game design to wanting to become a professor (not sure what of yet), and am MUCH more confident (and honestly happy) with this decision. I have begun going through all of my parents old college books, reading The Republic of Plato and what ever else they might have from Chaucer to Falkner.
This is my remedy, pick a long term goal, then set a way to get there, and make a bunch of short term goals to reach that long term goal.
Even if it doesn't work out, never regret the progress and self exploration you have made.
 

Teran

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Do you go to school?

/serious question
 

RyuReiatsu

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About the sprite comic.
I'd suggest having a few scenarios planned out. Nicely customed sprites and no style mixing. And a few pages ready in advance. You could then upload them periodically (i.e: Make ten, upload them in the space of... 2~3 weeks).

I've done sprites comics (I used to be on Sprites Inc all the time), and I think that most people liked mines.
I didn't, and that's why I scrapped them out. Just be confident and manage your things properly. If you do know that you'll somehow end up scrapping it due to being so busy.
Prepare it for a while before posting it.
 

ndayday

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I think you need motivation, or get into something different that you're motivated in.

Heck, I've been wanting to learn competitive Pokemon for the past year. I've had plenty of opportunities to learn to do it, and way too much free time. Instead, I kept telling myself to do it next week. And then next month. And then what? Never.
 

Mr. Rogu

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I think you need motivation, or get into something different that you're motivated in.

Heck, I've been wanting to learn competitive Pokemon for the past year. I've had plenty of opportunities to learn to do it, and way too much free time. Instead, I kept telling myself to do it next week. And then next month. And then what? Never.
Well, that pretty much sums up what i was gonna say. Ive kinda had the same problem last year. But this year, i put my act together and accomplished all the personal goals i wanted to.

You just gotta tell yourself to do it already. Cause once you accomplish your goal, you feel great.
 

Firus

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Do you go to school?

/serious question
Yes, and I have a job as well.

About the sprite comic.
I'd suggest having a few scenarios planned out. Nicely customed sprites and no style mixing. And a few pages ready in advance. You could then upload them periodically (i.e: Make ten, upload them in the space of... 2~3 weeks).

I've done sprites comics (I used to be on Sprites Inc all the time), and I think that most people liked mines.
I didn't, and that's why I scrapped them out. Just be confident and manage your things properly. If you do know that you'll somehow end up scrapping it due to being so busy.
Prepare it for a while before posting it.
Yeah...that's part of the reason I'm so hesitant to do anything with it. I don't want it to never happen...but on the other hand, I don't want to force myself to come up with ideas or just go with it in order to finally get it started, lest I do poor planning.

At some point in the future, I may need to get some advice on the sprite styles and how well they match...I already know I need to do a lot of pose editing on Brendan, from Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire, since the overworld sprites don't fit well with full-sized characters well at all, and his in-battle sprite is just one standing sprite, hardly enough for what I need, but I'm not sure exactly how the rest of it will fall in place.

I think you need motivation, or get into something different that you're motivated in.

Heck, I've been wanting to learn competitive Pokemon for the past year. I've had plenty of opportunities to learn to do it, and way too much free time. Instead, I kept telling myself to do it next week. And then next month. And then what? Never.
The problem is that all of the three things I specifically mentioned require thought and planning, which requires some sort of inspiration/motivation to do well, therefore causing a problem in actually getting it accomplished.

Of course, my inspiration for TCPS is almost gone, which is why I started the closing of it in the first place, but I still have some sprites to finish off and won't let the shop close before they're done.

Well, that pretty much sums up what i was gonna say. Ive kinda had the same problem last year. But this year, i put my act together and accomplished all the personal goals i wanted to.

You just gotta tell yourself to do it already. Cause once you accomplish your goal, you feel great.
Yeah, I just don't want to rush anything. It'll feel great to finally get something done, but especially after pondering things for so long, I'll feel worse than I do not having accomplished it if I do a poor job of it.

Time constraints for the lose...

I also need to finish my Klavier costume before Halloween so my friends and I can go downtown dressed up as Phoenix Wright characters (because we're just that awesome). I REALLY need to get cracking on that since I have less than a month left on that.

Basically, I need to get myself an Ocarina and keep playing myself the Song of Time. That's really my biggest issue...time, and a lack thereof.
 

Jin Kazama

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Yes, and I have a job as well.
I read in the other thread that you didn't have any real need for money and that you would buy a PS3/Xbox with it. I'd suggest you start working less/completely stop. If it's taking a toll on your free time while you're still a teenager, you're better off not doing it. On the other hand, if you got enough free time but are just lazy/unmotivated, keep working, money will come in handy later.
 

Firus

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I read in the other thread that you didn't have any real need for money and that you would buy a PS3/Xbox with it. I'd suggest you start working less/completely stop. If it's taking a toll on your free time while you're still a teenager, you're better off not doing it. On the other hand, if you got enough free time but are just lazy/unmotivated, keep working, money will come in handy later.
I don't necessarily have any need for money at the moment, but it's always nice to have an income, and the earlier I start saving up, the better, in my opinion.

(I don't think I'll be buying a PS3 anytime soon, just because there are few games that the 360 doesn't have that I'd consider getting and I'm more satisfied with the old games I already have than I am with either my Wii or my 360. And $300 is a lot to spend on a game console I'd only buy on a whim. I'm just considering buying one sometime in the future, whereas I wasn't really before.)

Plus, oddly enough, working isn't really a problem. Aside from when I work full days on the weekends, it's almost enjoyable. My co-workers are cool, we all get along well, it's fun to laugh at stupid customers, and there's a much more real benefit from it than from school.

Aside from sapping some of the time I use to do my school work, there's not really a downside. My boss is very flexible with hours and whatnot, and the store isn't open too late.
 

RyuReiatsu

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Well hey man. Try something else first. And if you're really determined to make a sprite comic, I could try helping you out with details (as in, I'm not gonna write your scenarios and ****s).

Anyway, just PM me and I'll give you my Email if you want some help. I'm no pro spriter, nor am I even motivated... But I'm pretty sure I can help you get some sort of motivation or can contribute a tad bit.
 

Firus

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Well hey man. Try something else first. And if you're really determined to make a sprite comic, I could try helping you out with details (as in, I'm not gonna write your scenarios and ****s).

Anyway, just PM me and I'll give you my Email if you want some help. I'm no pro spriter, nor am I even motivated... But I'm pretty sure I can help you get some sort of motivation or can contribute a tad bit.
Oh, I definitely want to make a decent sprite comic. I love spriting and I loved making the sprite comic I used to even though it sucked, there's just something thrilling about it for me.

For now, it's definitely on the back burner, as I really want to make my comic reliable AND good, i.e. more like this one, which updates three times a week and always lets readers know ahead of time if it's not going to update one day, and less like this one, which last updated in June of '08, hasn't updated regularly since September '06, yet keeps promising to come back in full at some point.

Until I can dedicate a little more time to it, I at least won't be posting it anywhere. I do, after all, still have to finish the planning phase and move onto a testing phase, seeing what works and what doesn't, getting opinions from people.

When I get around to it, I'll keep you in mind if I need any help. I appreciate the offer. =D

Shouldn't you be able to get a decent level of accomplishment from them?
Meh...kind of, but it's pretty minimal, even doing pretty well in school. I'm mostly talking about personal accomplishments, anyways. School/work is more of a necessity than a want, and it's the things I WANT to do that I'm really not accomplishing.
 

Teran

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I think your main issue is trying to accomplish too much in a short space of time.

Instead of jumping between ideas and projects, stick to one and see it through to the end with focus and determination. Accomplishing one thing in a year is better than having several things left unfinished.

Just my .02
 
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