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Basically, I am a developer with 5 years experience, and I am 25 yo, I have worked for a big companies and for a small company. When I am at home I use to work on personal projects. The thing is no matter what kind of company, salary, etc., after let's say 6-8 months, I lose all my motivation and going to work is really a nightmare. While if I am working on a personal project I can work for hours, days without getting tired.

So my question is, have you ever had this feeling? How did you get motivated every day?

yoozer8
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peterPeterson
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    The question as worded is likely to be closed because there isn't a single answer. Try rewording to fit with the Workplace standards: http://workplace.stackexchange.com/help/dont-ask – David K Aug 19 '14 at 12:43
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    Have you ever worked on a personal project for more than 6-8 months? Maybe you need to take short to mid-term contract positions. –  Aug 19 '14 at 13:00
  • Yes, in fact I will start to consider contractor positions, while I am start to run my own business :) – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 13:22
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    Like 95% of the people in the world do not enjoy going to work each morning... You think they're all motivated? – Telastyn Aug 19 '14 at 13:24
  • Take a break and go for higher studies -- Masters/PhD in your interesting area. – samarasa Aug 19 '14 at 15:47
  • Something diff about personal projects - usually theres no pressure on it (=stress) to get it done. You can do it just for enjoyment. Imagine if your boss gave you strict deadlines on your personal project. Would you still enjoy it so much?? -> I wonder if you need to steer the question to the root cause of why you don't enjoy your work projects (e.g. deadlines and stress are just one possibility) Lot's of relevant answers await in that case – Brandin Aug 19 '14 at 19:30
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    Have you ever worked in an agency environment, where you're constantly working on different projects for different clients whilst employed by the same agency? – Carson63000 Aug 20 '14 at 03:31

4 Answers4

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The only motivation that I need to get things done is that they need to get done. Whether or not I like what I am doing - that's irrelevant. The difference between a professional and an amateur is that the professional gets the job done no matter how bad their morale is, and the amateur quits as soon as the passion is gone. I have cleaned up and finished enough on behalf of individuals who lost or misplaced their passion somewhere that I am cynical of the word "passion", and of those who have it.

I am a professional but I do have my limits. The sort of things that would motivate me into putting my foot down and refusing to do any further work would be a boss's busting my milestones and deadlines because of his habit of changing his mind just as soon as I am almost finished, and his habit of demanding last-minute last-minute additions to my work.

Vietnhi Phuvan
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    Ok so your motivation is your salary only. You are paid to get things done, so you get things done. – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 12:22
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    @peterPeterson Whatever works. I get paid to do a job, I get it done. That's the bargain. I don't have to get emotional or teary-eyed about the work. Call me a merc, if you want. Because I probably am one. – Vietnhi Phuvan Aug 19 '14 at 12:24
  • Well, is completely acceptable you are lucky to be like this. In fact this is what I am doing since the last 2 years, but I won't be able to do it the rest of my life. – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 12:26
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    @petePeterson Who says I am able to work a single job with my mindset for the rest of my life? :) That's what quitting is for :) – Vietnhi Phuvan Aug 19 '14 at 12:29
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You say "I loose all my motivation and the fact to go to work is a really nightmare." However, you don't seem to have gone any further with your train of thought: why are you losing motivation? In a new job, everything is shiny and new and unknown, and it's natural for that to fade over time and leave you with a less rosy view of your job - but that shouldn't always mean that you don't enjoy it at all.

You need to stop and ask yourself honestly: What is it about your office, team, project or other that makes you not want to go to work? The answer is not "I just don't like it" - you need to understand what it is that you don't like.

Once you've clearly identified those things, work out what an improvement in those things would look like. If you don't like the technology being used, perhaps bringing newer technology to your project would help. If you don't like the commute, is that because of the distance, or the particular time that you commute?

Once you know how you would like things to change, work out how you can begin to affect that change: see if you can propose a useful new technology, or see if you can change your working hours to make your commute easier. Whatever the problem is, be proactive in finding a solution.

If you really find that you can't solve these problems in your current role, then find a new role - but be aware of any of these things that might affect it once the shine wears off.

Dan Puzey
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  • Well that's what I usually do with any problem I have, I find out what is the problem and then I find out how to improve the situation. Unfortunately, I can't find out why in this case, I already moved an year ago from another company for this same problem, after 3 months in this new company they called me to increase my salary, I refused it and I asked for all Friday off, now I have a nice balance work-life, the felling of going to work is like the same as it was when I was 8 years old going to school but hating it. – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 14:43
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    If you can't identify why you hate it then you won't be able to do anything targeted to change it: you'll have to keep trying new things until you find something that works. – Dan Puzey Aug 19 '14 at 15:00
  • I hated my job recently because my neigh-boring Lead hired 6 people and is refactoring my work. It was like showing that I did a bad job. Now i identified why i hate. Can you suggest what i can keep trying? I hate my self now – chendu Sep 10 '21 at 16:17
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I have experienced the same issue and for me it was to do with what I was being asked to develop. Finding somewhere you can work on the bleeding edge or with new methodologies may inject some excitement.

Subscribing to something like Pluralsight and throwing yourself into learning can be good too. You will most likely find new useful patterns, technologies and ways to work which might improve your situation at work.

If you tend to be quiet and develop what you are told, maybe change tact, be vocal and make suggestions of technologies and ideas. When you are working on your ideas, you will be more motivated.

Lotok
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  • Yes, I have tried this. Learning new things etc. but it looks like I don't want to give this knowledge to the company I work for. – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 12:24
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    Well you have to accept they are paying you for your knowledge and abilities. It sounds like you are in the wrong industry. – Lotok Aug 19 '14 at 12:25
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I have the same feeling, maybe you are on a verge of being an entrepreuner. Try to focus on development of new products for the community.

sujitrulz
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  • Yes, maybe that's the problem. In fact if I do something for myself I have no problems, but if I have to work for someone...it becomes a nightmare, great answer :) – peterPeterson Aug 19 '14 at 11:53
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    And what does "try to focus on development of new products for the community" get you, or what is it supposed to get you? You need to flesh out this part of your answer. Right now, your answer is only a sketch of an answer. – Vietnhi Phuvan Aug 19 '14 at 12:44