HN Explorer

Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself to keep building and finishing projects?

4 points by tim_nuwin ↗ HN
I just finished a project that took me a lot longer than expected after doing a 12-hour coding push. But that's unusual, I haven't done that much free-time coding in a few years. What keeps you motivated?

5 comments

[ 4.7 ms ] story [ 24.4 ms ] thread
toolsadmin
Potential to make money. I don't make any serious projects on my own time unless there is a way to monetize them.
gamebak
Discipline is one of the biggest things. Motivation is not enough, everyone has good days and bad days like when you don't feel like coding.

Establish a goal for 3 months/6 months/1 year/10 years, something realistic (let's say you want to get a new car... that will be in the next 2 years or something ).

Take 10 minute breaks every 1-2 hours and move around during that time. Go grab a coffee or something, it will increase your dopamine levels.

When you take a new project always take 30% extra time from your initial evaluation (that's to make sure you don't end up with 12 hour coding push )...

taphangum
Make it about proving something to yourself. You know that mindset you get into when you're playing a really hard level in a good game? Try channeling that and see if it works, it definitely does for me. :) - One of my projects from two years ago is now worth about $500k.