How do you keep yourself motivated

Great question.  When I usually struggle with this it's because I am not in love with the project I am doing.  I had an engagement session recently where it wasn't our best work, the client was a little hard to work with (they paid us the wrong amount and misunderstood a lot of things).  I had the hardest time getting their images finished.  However, now I am working on a boudoir session where I had a lot of fun, the model was awesome and I like how everything turned out.  When I feel inspired I work so much better, I fly through the images and do my best work.

When I am having a hard time getting through something I make up rewards for myself.  Like saying "I can get up for a snack when I finish 10 more images" or "If I get these done by Friday I will treat myself to something at the spa (like a pedicure) or a new lip gloss".  I don't always have money for stuff like that so I have to get creative.  I make games out of things all the time too.  Sometimes while editing I pretend I am doing a Photohop tutorial for someone and (in my head) talk them through what I am doing.  I know I now sound crazy, but a little imagination makes it easier.

Ultimately I think it's about developing self discipline, but knowing that doesn't help anything.

My biggest problem is that this forum is one of my projects so I find it really easy to justify spending time here.  Heck, I can spend time reading and posting here and I'm still working on a project so it doesn't seem like I'm skipping out on something.  Of course that doesn't help me stay motivated.

Let's see, talking about photography or staring at two screens of computer code?  Yeah, I've got to go for the talking being more entertaining 

I think part of the motivation issue today is that I knew what I had to do wasn't going to be outwardly all that impressive.  I spent about 5 hours today working on a web page and am optimistically about 10% through it.  It's got lots of Ajax and PHP to code so it's not a simple page, but it sure looks like it's simple.  So I'm looking back at 5 hours in front of the computer with only a partially completed web page to show for it. 

On the other hand, when Ajax works it's really slick and this particular page is going to be nice when it's done. 

Yeah, well I'm at least close to the forum most weekends.  It's hard to get away and pretty exciting to see it growing 

If you don't finish by XX:XX you loose the game.

I deal with the motivation thing every day since I'm right now giving people new computers which means I have to fight them to NOT use email while I convert it and fight them to not save anything on their C drive and make the new computer look exact****ly like the old one then explain to them that the weather bug, aol messenger, XYZ screen saver and others are NOT on the new computer because I told them not to install them on the old one.

I also have a C function to code, but the boss hasn't given me the spec yet. (but its still due next week)

Motivation? I too play games with the voices only I can hear. Teaching is a good one, I'll have to try that.