Digging deep for the motivation…

[Snakes]

After a chaotic Fall full of work, sports, family, and volunteer stuff…I can FINALLY break away tomorrow to go fishing. But man, I’m feeling a pretty severe lack of motivation.

I’ve got the Deschutes in my sights for Sunday. Maybe stretching it out to 2-3 days would make it feel more worthwhile? I don’t know dudes...

Just the idea of digging out the drift boat, waders, fishing gear…feels fuking exhausting. In my 20s and 30s I’d have already been on the river by now after sleeping in my truck on a dirt road somewhere.

Is this what getting older feels like? Fuk.

(Thanks for listening to my rant.)

 

[Dr. Magill]

Is this what getting older feels like? Fuk.

(Thanks for listening to my rant.)

Yes……. sometimes
I’ve found fishing with a partner can help getting you off your ass.
Also if I just GO I’m almost always glad I did.

 

[SilverFly]

After a chaotic Fall full of work, sports, family, and volunteer stuff…I can FINALLY break away tomorrow to go fishing. But man, I’m feeling a pretty severe lack of motivation.

I’ve got the Deschutes in my sights for Sunday. Maybe stretching it out to 2-3 days would make it feel more worthwhile? I don’t know dudes...

Just the idea of digging out the drift boat, waders, fishing gear…feels fuking exhausting. In my 20s and 30s I’d have already been on the river by now after sleeping in my truck on a dirt road somewhere.

Is this what getting older feels like? Fuk.

(Thanks for listening to my rant.)

I hear ya. It must be "old" vs "cold". I slept in my rig, getting up a O-dark-thirty several times during tuna season. Aches and pains be damned.

In cold weather, that same motivation struggles to over-rule comfort. The shitty thing is I know I won't regret it once I'm on the water.

Edit: @Dr. Magill has a great point about fishing with a buddy. Having some accountability helps, but I've also found I don't enjoy fishing alone as much as I've gotten older. Actually in the process of setting up a trip with a buddy next month. One I've wanted to do for a while, but really took his initiative to make it happen.

 

[RCF]

When one is younger, there are less demands on one's life. Maybe you were just working at a job and not working on your career. Less demands family-wise --> wife and kids. Priorities were very different too I bet. Financial constraints were different e.g. renting versus buying a home, car payments, etc. Also fishing was better and less crowded. 'Just go for it' was the message of the day...

With aging comes more responsibilities, less time for oneself and more time for family and career. Part of the life cycle.

Then one retires. Lots more time available but the body and mind is not what it used to be. An easy downward spiral if one is not careful.

With the unfortunate demands of the last couple of years e.g. pandemic and keeping employed it is even more important to avoid that downward spiral. If you do not use your body and mind, you will start losing it. Physical and mental health days/weeks are so important. So look at your priorities and maybe reshuffle them to make sure you are taking care of yourself. By doing that, you will help others around you be better. It will also breath new life into other things you are doing e.g. volunteering.

 

[SurfnFish]

After a chaotic Fall full of work, sports, family, and volunteer stuff…I can FINALLY break away tomorrow to go fishing. But man, I’m feeling a pretty severe lack of motivation.

I’ve got the Deschutes in my sights for Sunday. Maybe stretching it out to 2-3 days would make it feel more worthwhile? I don’t know dudes...

Just the idea of digging out the drift boat, waders, fishing gear…feels fuking exhausting. In my 20s and 30s I’d have already been on the river by now after sleeping in my truck on a dirt road somewhere.

Is this what getting older feels like? Fuk.

(Thanks for listening to my rant.)

catching some down time often does more for the soul then 'forced myelf to go'..if you do go, be prepared for mid-teens at night in the canyon.

In my eary 50's, forced myself to go on a solo deep powder run when my partner bailed, determined to hike up the backside to a fave steep and deep run...and came back from it with a ripped off pec muscle and torn meniscus...sure wish I had listened to myself

 

[Snakes]

Yes……. sometimes
I’ve found fishing with a partner can help getting you of your ass.
Also if I just GO I’m almost always glad I did.

This is an incredible reminder. I have almost zero days where I regretted the choice to go fishing. Even in the craziest sideways rain/wind/hail storms.

I’ve got one lightening storm that still scares me to this day!! But I think that was an anomaly.

The point about a fishing buddy makes sense too. As we’ve all gotten older, life has taken hold of most everyone’s time.

 

[Snakes]

When one is younger, there are less demands on one's life. Maybe you were just working at a job and not working on your career. Less demands family-wise --> wife and kids. Priorities were very different too I bet. Financial constraints were different e.g. renting versus buying a home, car payments, etc. Also fishing was better and less crowded. 'Just go for it' was the message of the day...

With aging comes more responsibilities, less time for oneself and more time for family and career. Part of the life cycle.

Then one retires. Lots more time available but the body and mind is not what it used to be. An easy downward spiral if one is not careful.

With the unfortunate demands of the last couple of years e.g. pandemic and keeping employed it is even more important to avoid that downward spiral. If you do not use your body and mind, you will start losing it. Physical and mental health days/weeks are so important. So look at your priorities and maybe reshuffle them to make sure you are taking care of yourself. By doing that, you will help others around you be better. It will also breath new life into other things you are doing e.g. volunteering.

I think part of the subconscious motivation to post here might have something to do with the whole downward spiral situation.

Feeling very fortunate with life - no complaints - but the job to career to priority dynamic has absolutely evolved over the last 20-30 years. I used to eat sleep and breathe fishing. Now I hardly remember it!

This might’ve done the trick to force me out…

 

[Brute]

Yes……. sometimes
I’ve found fishing with a partner can help getting you of your ass.
Also if I just GO I’m almost always glad I did.

I agree…I used to truly enjoy fishing alone (and still do)… but after passing the 60 mark a few years ago, doing solo trips takes on a more serious note, especially if I have to hike into a place. I have made an acquaintance with a similar aged fly fishing aficionado a couple years ago and plan several week long fishing excursions every year with him. I still fish solo a lot, since he lives 600 mile from me…but I usually don’t do week long trips alone anymore…

 

[krusty]

I learned long ago not to depend upon my mood (or feeling 'motivated') to spur me into action. This is true for trips to the 'sticks' or getting stuff done around the house.

The reality is that positive mood or motivation most often FOLLOWS action, not the other way around, and this is often even more pronounced as we age.

At 70 years of age a great many outdoor adventures I've very much enjoyed over my lifetime would not have occurred if I'd waited for the right 'mood' or motivation to get going.

 

[Peyton00]

My motivation to pursue a trip is to get my planner out and detail my excursion. Once i get the ball rollin' , its a fun time.

Just do it!

Get out while ya can....life is short.

 

[Gary Knowels]

I feel this at times too. Usually what I'm feeling is a bit of burnout that requires both rest and recreation for me to get through. This is the hardest thing for me, usually responsibilities don't allow for both of those things and I'm forced to pick. When I pick rest, I'm bummed I didn't go fishing and vice versa. It's not until I make both a priority for I feel truly refreshed

 

[clarkman]

Well, if you're given a day to go fishing, you're not getting that day back if you opt not to (go fishing). Besides, the short-fin grating are on the bite at the D....if we're talking about the OR D.

 

[DerekWhipple]

Don't need a boat for the deschutes, either. Sure, I'd rather take a boat ride than not, but you still have lots of water, and it's right next to your car.

When you get the opportunity, go!

 

[DoesItFloat]

Just think - you'll probably be the only one out there. Ditch the boat - set up a little camp and give it a few days. I would if I could. And I'm feeling old, too.

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

I've found if you set realistic expectations of readying my gear and travel times to my fishing locations, I get there relaxed. One look at the water, and I get excited, and the buzz of my youth is still there.

 

[Mukman]

I certainly have felt the same lack of motivation. What helps me is to fast forward a few days in my mind to when I WON’T be able to go due to constraints; that future me will be pissed at the current me if I don’t go. Kind of like in my earlier days when the early morning me really really hated the late night me.

As I type this I realize I should probably go see a psychiatrist for my split personality problem.

 

[Steve Vaughn]

I hear you. Always told myself when I retire and have more time I would be fishing every day. Well, when I got there I let other trivial things get in the way. I blamed losing the passion for fishing, but as most of the others have pointed out it is all the things associated with getting older. What I have done to keep me getting out there is focus closer to home. Living in Tri-Cities I bought a boat and get out on the big rivers about once a week. Not the fishing that drove my passion in my youth but it gets me out on the water. Also, agree with @Dr. Magill that a partner would help get you out. Unfortunately, most of us have done most of our fishing alone and finding a buddy in our later years can be a challenge. Don't let the inertia get you. Push forward and get out there.

 

[jasmillo]

Do something else. If I ever get to the point that that I lack motivation to fish….I won’t fish. That does not make you a bad person. Life’s too short. Using free time to do something you don’t love is a bad mistake IMO.

In my case, the night before I go fishing is the closest thing I have as an adult to the night before X-mas as a kid. Still keeps me up at night! Not sure why. Could also change as I get older or as life events make me understand the importance of some things over others.

 

[RCF]

It does not have to be a day out fishing. It can be a day out in nature. Fishing may or may not be a part of it. When I was young it was bushwhacking, climbing/descending ridiculous banks to catch the most fish. Now it is getting out to see beautiful country, birds and water fowl, large game animals and listening to the water running by, seeing beautiful flowers and landscape, and maybe finding some mushrooms (psylosybic kind of course).

I enjoy reading some of the wonderful trip reports on PNWFF where there is so much more pictured than just fish (if any), describing how great it was just to get out and relax. Bringing back memories and creating new ones.

The important part is getting out and recharging those batteries...

If you have any dogs, they deserve time out there also. Watching them is so much fun. Maybe a new buddy to fish with?

 

[PhilR]

Shit, man, I’d have gone with you tomorrow but I went today.

Good ideas here to travel light a just fis the road. Sometimes it’s tough to overcome inertia, but I’ll bet once you start moving you’ll keep moving.