Burnout? I can relate to burnout!

I was helping a friend who was ill with Lukemia to scratch build a Ziroli F-9F Panther. We started the framing together. Then I took over the fuse and he worked on the flying surfaces. Time was short and every minute I wasn't at work I was building. One weekend I booked 42 hours on the project from Friday afternoon to Sunday night! Unfortunately we didn't get there.

I was so burned out that I quit building and quit flying for over a dozen years. But it comes back to you.

A change in my life got me flying again and then I was building like a maniac. 6 planes in one year and a large Sukhoi going as well. Then I stalled out on the Sukhoi. It's languished for about 8 months while I did other things. It's at that point where every thing is a chore and it's no fun anymore. But it was back at the front of the list.

And that's my secret, make a list. Make a list of every thing you need to do. Make a point of doing something every day or nearly so. The goal isn't to finish but to scratch something off the list. Yeah, they're all pain in the butt items or you wouldn't be stuck there but with the list it's easier to get at least one thing done. If you can't do an item from the list, break them down and add sub items. Pick something and do it. You'll find that item wasn't as hard as you expected and soon the list will be shorter. Then the enthusiasm returns and you're back in the groove!

It took me over half a year to finally get started on that project again. But once I made the list and started working on the list, it's been only a few weeks. Now the Sukhoi is now in the middle of filling and sanding! All that's left on the list after that is cockpit, covering & painting. And I couldn't be more stoked!

To complete the story, the Panther is still unfinished. Unfortunately my friend's eyes were going and the flying surfaces that he built are unusable. But one of the things that I've done during the Sukhoi doldrums is to cut all the parts for the rest of the project. The fuse is completed, with fan and retracts and awaiting flying surfaces. I've got about 3 projects ahead of it and it will probably be a long term spare time project. But before too long I'll be making a list. And once that happens, look out!

Dave