Do you ever feel like quitting?

[shaunaroxanne]

I am so frustrated right now. I adore this hobby, but I just can't seem to feel satisfied with what I do. I have been working on a new rack system for 16 cages with misters and drainage, and I feel like I am ALMOST finished (after weeks of work), but I just can't seem to get it perfect. Every time I think I have a brilliant idea, it doesn't work as well as I wanted, or look as good as I wanted. Every day I say I'm going to finish this TONIGHT, but every night I find something I should do to make it better, and I just can't find that point where I feel like I should leave it alone. Please someone tell me this is normal and that I'll get there soon

 

[crocky]

You will get there. Perfection is defined by the person so keep on keeping on and once you do get it like you want it you will be glad you did. A busy mind makes for great ideas and great ideas breed better ideas or at least I tell myself that

 

[squeekz1992]

You'll get there

 

[pssh]

I do the same type of thing. I particularly hate it when I have this brilliant idea and then I spend hours and hours on it and it doesn't work out so well or it looks crappy. I have since learned to try it out small scale first to make sure it works out alright. I also have to make my drawings and plans for things ahead of time, leave it alone for a few days, and then check it again with a fresh mind to make sure I didn't screw anything up (particularly measurements.)

I think it's normal to feel that way. Usually I give up after a certain amount of finding new "better" things to add to my projects though. Sometimes I make it worse when I just keep working on something.

 

[ataraxia]

B E L I E V E M E !!! Your not alone.

 

[d3s5]

Ha, yes, you remind me of that "it's the journey that's most important, not the destination" quote. I'm really slow at doing things and then redoing things. And then getting things just the way I see them in my head. But, honestly, creating these things IS the most fun - not finishing them! Because what do we do once we are finished with a project? Immediately start a new project!

And as far as redoing things to make them better - "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” I love that Thomas Edison quote! Nothing wrong with wanting to make things just right!

Don't think about quitting. Change your perspective and enjoy the journey!

Oh yea - I think you're completely normal, by the way. . . well, as normal as all chameleon keepers. . .

 

[pigglett79]

Yup, we are all in the same boat. Every time my boyfriend and I think we are done, something else either goes wrong or can be done better. It never ends. It also never comes out exactly as planned and can be very frustrating........But those days that I sit in the chameleon room, just watching them makes it all worth it. They also provide me with an escape and a peaceful room to study in when it comes test time. But yes, I feel your pain, sometimes I just want to give up. Hang in there.......

 

[shaunaroxanne]

Thank you for the encouragement, everyone. That is exactly what I needed. I also needed to walk away and take a break. I have been spending every moment I have, after teaching all day, and my brain is just fried. Today is better, I THINK I'll get it done after my daughter's basketball game. I just need to realize that there will probably never be an end until I stop creating new projects, and that I need to be ok with it if it's not exactly perfect.

Thanks

 

[Hoj]

I felt like that for along time. Finally I have it all set up the way I want, it took about a year of tweaking but i am happy and so are my chams.
One step at a time

 

[laurie]

I am so frustrated right now. I adore this hobby, but I just can't seem to feel satisfied with what I do. I have been working on a new rack system for 16 cages with misters and drainage, and I feel like I am ALMOST finished (after weeks of work), but I just can't seem to get it perfect. Every time I think I have a brilliant idea, it doesn't work as well as I wanted, or look as good as I wanted. Every day I say I'm going to finish this TONIGHT, but every night I find something I should do to make it better, and I just can't find that point where I feel like I should leave it alone. Please someone tell me this is normal and that I'll get there soon

Would you like to talk to my husband? He swears I change my cages and chams around just for the fun of it. If I can find a better cage to move a cham too since it is time to go to a bigger cage, better branches, a new plant, a new timing on my mistking, or just need to regroup how I have them put together. I never stops for me. But I have only been doing this for years so maybe I will get it right soon--- but I am not sure.

 

[Barb]

You are not alone. However, I personally believe you will never be done. I am the same way as you and a lot of the others. We are never really done, because we want it to be too perfect, or we just want it better. That, however is a good thing, too me anyway. So, don't give up. You will get it right, but then eventually you will want to do something different. Don't fight it, enjoy it. You'll never be bored BTW, we would love to see pics when ever you do think your done

 

[Elizadolots]

This has been a good thread for me because I've been waiting out a chameleon I knew was dying. He finally did die today and part of me thinks "Just be done with it, don't try anymore"....but the obsessive part of me says I've learned so much, I know how to make it better, so I should try again...

I think I'll call LLL on Monday to start talking about the new cage....

 

[DavidBuchan]

All this talk of perfection reminds me of the Noel Gallagher lyric 'True perfection has to be imperfect - I know that that sounds foolish but it's true' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4otiUgmLg&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Personally, I've always been quite good at accepting imperfections in my work (my friends call that laziness, I call it wisdom )
Besides all that.....animal husbandry is one of the most obvious areas where perfection is wildly unattainable....only God is perfect and let's be honest, we all do a better job of looking after our chams than the wild ones get

 

[DavidBuchan]

This has been a good thread for me because I've been waiting out a chameleon I knew was dying. He finally did die today and part of me thinks "Just be done with it, don't try anymore".......

Sorry to hear that Eliza, it doesn't make it any easier to know it's coming really, does it? There's always the sense that something could have been done better...

 

[Turningdoc]

Just keep buying stuff, you'll be fine.
No, really......

 

[Elizadolots]

Sorry to hear that Eliza, it doesn't make it any easier to know it's coming really, does it? There's always the sense that something could have been done better...

Thanks! No, it doesn't help knowing it's coming. I'm really going to take my time and get a better set up in place before I buy another animal though.

 

[shaunaroxanne]

All this talk of perfection reminds me of the Noel Gallagher lyric 'True perfection has to be imperfect - I know that that sounds foolish but it's true' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4otiUgmLg&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Personally, I've always been quite good at accepting imperfections in my work (my friends call that laziness, I call it wisdom )
Besides all that.....animal husbandry is one of the most obvious areas where perfection is wildly unattainable....only God is perfect and let's be honest, we all do a better job of looking after our chams than the wild ones get

You are right, we will never be perfect. But how do we get to the point where we can say that we have done our absolute best? I can never seem to get there with anything. I always feel like I can do just a little better in teaching, patenting, with my animals.....definitely at being a better wife. I always feel like if I just do this "one last thing", I'll be satisfied. I'm STILL not done with this stupid rack, and I should be. I have the drainage right, and the misting is great, now it's the freaking lighting that I'm not happy with. And I want it to smell like no animal has ever stepped foot into my house....

 

[DavidBuchan]

I could give you advice how to be a better wife..........


The rest is just practice. Learning to rest. Have you tried meditation? Or more rocknroll? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkmdWOhmlj4

 

[shaunaroxanne]

I could give you advice how to be a better wife..........


The rest is just practice. Learning to rest. Have you tried meditation? Or more rocknroll? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkmdWOhmlj4

Lol to the wife thing. Meditation is boring. Rest is overrated. And there's a song I haven't heard in a LONG time! But I do love to listen to my music very loud, it does help. Problem is, when I listen to my rock (and rap, hate to admit it but I love me some Linkin Park/JayZ remixes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBnJnXq4YQ8), then I'm being a bad parent because of the inappropriate lyrics in the songs if my kids hear

 

[dom1959]

i am trying to approach this hobby as a quest for knowledge.
normally i would strive for perfection, but does a cham in the wild find a perfect spot? prolly not, but he knows what he needs and searches for it.

so shall i, search for what my cham needs
and attempt to make it available to him. all the while
knowing that whatever i find there will always be more to find.