Staying Motivated In A Crazy, Mixed-Up, 3D World
While I try to put nice pretty pictures with my posts and such, today I'd like to strip some of that clean and talk with you for a moment about a topic I struggle with on a daily basis as I continue my journey towards (hopefully) becoming an Animator...
Motivation.
So many things can be a double-edged sword in the world of motivation. For example:
Seeing a gifted artist's work - Seeing this on one hand can be extremely inspiring to many, and it should be. To watch someone create a piece of art so effortlessly that it makes you want to cry not only shows you what's possible, but makes you realize just how far you have to go. On the other hand, many people will look at that same work and think that they'll never achieve that level, so why bother.
Realizing the sheer number of aspiring animators in the world - There are tons of people out there wanting to be Animators. Just as their are tons of people who want to be comic book artists, or professional painters, or any number of other positions in countless other professions. To step back and realize just how small of a fish you are in this large pond can either motivate you to get bigger, or it can make you throw your fins up in the air and float to the surface.
There are many more examples, but the point is that motivation sometimes works because it really is a choice the person has to make as to whether or not they're going to be the small minority to commit to being the best, or if they'll never put the level of commitment in required to achieve their goal(s), so they might as well cut their losses and walk away.
As I mentioned, I struggle with this daily. I know that I'm not the best Animator on the the planet, but I also know that I've come along way in a very short period of time. There have been times when I've really felt like giving up, because I see the level of work that fellow students and industry vets are kicking out. Couple this with the sheer number of applicants for any given Animation job, the high probability that my first Animation job will probably be a big step back financially and from a standpoint of job security, and it's all I can do on some days to keep pushing rigs around the screen.
But I press on.
I've always thought that the true test of whether you really love something or not is whether you can come within a tiny fraction of hating it and still continue to do it. A professional athlete will push their body to the absolute limit and in many cases destroy it along the way, but they do it for the love of the sport (and the insane salary if they're lucky). As another example, I work in videogames now, and I'm writing this at 8:45pm from my office. When I'm done, I'll go back to work for another couple of hours, and I'm not alone. My office is full right now, but it's because the people who work here love games and love making games for a living, despite hating the missed time with family and friends.
It's this same passion that makes me continue struggling with the daunting task of learning to become an Animator. The day I can look someone in the eyes when they ask me what I do for a living and say, "I'm an Animator," is going to be a wonderful day. I just hope the person isn't freaked out by a 6'5", 230lb man crying in front of them, because I may just break down.
Do I have doubts? Absolutely. In fact, until that day comes, I will wonder every day of my life if I'm just being a time-wasting fool who doesn't have the skills to be an Animator. I think that's human nature.
It's having those doubts and continuing forward that separate those who truly love what they do from those who only think that they do. Share this on: facebook
Motivation.
So many things can be a double-edged sword in the world of motivation. For example:
Seeing a gifted artist's work - Seeing this on one hand can be extremely inspiring to many, and it should be. To watch someone create a piece of art so effortlessly that it makes you want to cry not only shows you what's possible, but makes you realize just how far you have to go. On the other hand, many people will look at that same work and think that they'll never achieve that level, so why bother.
Realizing the sheer number of aspiring animators in the world - There are tons of people out there wanting to be Animators. Just as their are tons of people who want to be comic book artists, or professional painters, or any number of other positions in countless other professions. To step back and realize just how small of a fish you are in this large pond can either motivate you to get bigger, or it can make you throw your fins up in the air and float to the surface.
There are many more examples, but the point is that motivation sometimes works because it really is a choice the person has to make as to whether or not they're going to be the small minority to commit to being the best, or if they'll never put the level of commitment in required to achieve their goal(s), so they might as well cut their losses and walk away.
As I mentioned, I struggle with this daily. I know that I'm not the best Animator on the the planet, but I also know that I've come along way in a very short period of time. There have been times when I've really felt like giving up, because I see the level of work that fellow students and industry vets are kicking out. Couple this with the sheer number of applicants for any given Animation job, the high probability that my first Animation job will probably be a big step back financially and from a standpoint of job security, and it's all I can do on some days to keep pushing rigs around the screen.
But I press on.
I've always thought that the true test of whether you really love something or not is whether you can come within a tiny fraction of hating it and still continue to do it. A professional athlete will push their body to the absolute limit and in many cases destroy it along the way, but they do it for the love of the sport (and the insane salary if they're lucky). As another example, I work in videogames now, and I'm writing this at 8:45pm from my office. When I'm done, I'll go back to work for another couple of hours, and I'm not alone. My office is full right now, but it's because the people who work here love games and love making games for a living, despite hating the missed time with family and friends.
It's this same passion that makes me continue struggling with the daunting task of learning to become an Animator. The day I can look someone in the eyes when they ask me what I do for a living and say, "I'm an Animator," is going to be a wonderful day. I just hope the person isn't freaked out by a 6'5", 230lb man crying in front of them, because I may just break down.
Do I have doubts? Absolutely. In fact, until that day comes, I will wonder every day of my life if I'm just being a time-wasting fool who doesn't have the skills to be an Animator. I think that's human nature.
It's having those doubts and continuing forward that separate those who truly love what they do from those who only think that they do. Share this on: facebook
posted by Dave Johnson at
8:16 PM
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