Motivation is great.  That inspiration you get from doing something you're passionate about, something you love and are interested in.  But then the obstacles creep in, you find it hard to get satisfaction from your work and your motivation slowly suffocates under a pile of failed outcomes.

Doing what you want to do is great!

Except for...

When you don't actually want to do it.

Maybe you've got a list of goals, or an idea in your mind of what you want to be doing and where you would like to go with your work.  But have you ever considered what you don't want to be doing?

I like nature photography.  I find it beautiful and really enjoy looking at it, but I can never replicate what I love about the pieces I look at in my own photos - they are bland, flat and uninspiring.  But today I realised - I don't want to do nature photography!  I love looking at it, but that doesn't mean I want to create it!  I enjoy painting animals, but photographing them as anything more than a snapshot...not so much!

So then I got to thinking - what do I want to photograph?  I love street photography and I love the beautiful effects created by different types of light.  I like reflections and contrast.  I like bright colours and little surprises.  Things that go unnoticed in the everyday.  Unusual compositions, moments full of life!  If nature happens to be a part of that, then that's ok, but I'm not aiming to be a 'nature photographer'.

It feels quite freeing to not feel like I need to keep working at it!  I can focus my efforts on what I do want to do instead.

So bottom line - never feel like you have to do something just because...do what you love, do what you're interested in and do what makes you feel good!