Every time I think of a good picture in Blender I wonder how amazing it would be to actually do it. Unfortunately every time I try I end up losing that motivation drive when I run into an obstacle and then that Personal Project is Gone. I still have those ideas but that advice that would help me is what I really lack. And I mean bad. Do any of you experience this thing or do you have any advice for those of us who lose that motivational drive ?
Try starting with something similar at a much smaller scale.
I’m in the same situation sometimes in general arts, what I find helpful is just to force myself, motivation is not constant but comes in waves.
believing in a project is a great motivator for me. if you quit after finding out your texture doesn’t fit right with the default values the first time, then try working on a smaller scale. personally, i think if you fight through those obstacles the final product will be far more satisfying than if you quit and started a smaller project.
Okay first thing, practice, and develop your art skill.
It can tend to be a lot easier to fully realize a project if you’re skilled.
When I run up against obstacles (regardless of software) I take them as personal challenges because the way I look at it, there always has to be an answer or a workaround, it’s just that I haven’t found one yet.
I suffer from this as well. What I try to do is take one idea, one project, and force myself to get it done. Much like pixelmass I make it a personal challenge and persevere. I try not to let other “new projects”, aka distractions, get in the way.
Ok guys, thanks. I found myself in this situation alot, but the funny thing is that its not that the skills are not updated but its when I find an obstacle that I lose the confidence. I know this because when I try something just for fun it works out well but when I encounter a problem I kind of just quit. But all in all all of your advice has helped, thank you.
i’m in the same boat… i abandon the project whenever i get to materials and textures… 
i’ll try what’s been suggested here and see… thanks for this discussion
I tend to agree with Cyborg Dragon here. I do a lot of tutorials. If I get stuck in a creative project, I go back and do more tutorials. The more skilled, the smaller the problems. Also, I like to get involved in something that demands a result. Although not related to 3D, I’m currently in a Photoshop battle that requires me to produce five designs, each one in 72 hours. I think it’s not just the deadline thing - being creatively engaged with another person (my opponent) is good too.
The thing is 3d work just takes a long time… you can know every trick, fake and hack in the book and be skilled and quick…
… but it still can just take more time to do even a simple project to the quality you desire than you have free time to do it in…
at least when you’re being paid you do the best you can in the time available, and the deadline comes, you cringe as you pass it over to the client who generally doesn’t care about all those things that niggle you and goes away happy with your stuff whilst you wonder whether you’ll get the time to “finish it” for the portfolio… (you never do)…
I am usually feeling the same 
Usually I begin by breaking down my project in “cool, but not possible at this time” and “mediocre, but at least you’ll have a chance to get it done”
What helps me then is doing tutorials that kind of cover the same things as my project. For example, you could do the Joan of Arc tutorial when your project is a character. But instead of modeling Joan I’d use the technique of the tutorial on my own concept.
Another thing that helps me sometimes is disconnecting from the internet. That way I can’t lose myself in endless searches, diverting to other interesting things. Also, it helps me focus on my problem. If I can’t solve it, I nevertheless do searches and/or post here 
If all that doesn’t help I leave the project alone and start something different. Even if that means not doing anything related to 3d for half a year (sic!). As it happened lately, when I return to the project my skills might have increased and I can make some progress.
My advice: Have one or several people who you can show your project to personally (i.e. not in a forum) and tell them about your idea and your aims. This recreates the inspiration you had and other people will have another viewpoint, and even if they don’t know much about blender it’s always great to be motivated by another person.
The thing is 3d work just takes a long time… you can know every trick, fake and hack in the book and be skilled and quick…
I’ve matted and framed work I modeled and rendered in 30 minutes and they sold, I’m serious, one of my 30 minute works had the base price at 35 dollars at a silent auction during a dinner and there was nearly 10 bids on it that took it to 75 dollars.
Well done and good luck on future auctions!
It wouldn’t work for me though, At $75 a piece at an infrequent auction I and my family would starve!
What I said still stands though. Doing 3d in your spare time is tough, I’ve done it as my career for too long now, so to match professional standards in “spare” time is always a tall order…
What is this “completing” thing I keep on hearing about?
You need to figure out a way to keep working despite a lack of motivation.
pixelmass, for example, dares himself to finish the project, and harnesses personal pride to substitute for motivation. MichaelW is getting paid, so he’s got a couple of extras: deadlines, and obligations to himself and his family that he needs that paycheck to fullfill. Looks like g60 sometimes substitutes his abilty to focus to replace low motivation. Polarbear just keeps on plugging away, confident that the next wave of motivation will come along, sooner or later, and will bouy him up again.
Point is, it’s different for everybody. Some methods are more universal (getting paid and working under deadlines works for almost everyone, but requires a job in the industry) while some other methods will work for one person but fail for another.
So, you’ve got a lot of suggestions here. Try them out, but don’t expect that they will all work. Chances are that one of them will. Best of luck. 