Thread: What do you do when you feel like you are making no progress?

Keep it fun!

Ive had 2 10 second LDs in 6 months but Im terrible at keeping a dream journal

My first question would be what do you want to progress in and what is a urban myth? If its getting lucid than what I do is read, draw or talk about lucid stuff with someone to motivate me. I even do things I enjoy doing before i go to bed to keep me in a good mood to get lucid.Also, think about the things you like about lucidity. What is your purpose for becoming a lucid dreamer? Than explore what you believe to be your purpose a bit. Perhaps your goal will change over time as you keep getting lucid but that is what helps keep it from being boring. You can progress but it shouldn't feel like your hitting a brick wall in my opinion. You might miss out at times when your trying to accomplish something but the more you relax and believe that you have the ability to become lucid,the higher your chances are. For me when I'am motivated and my goal is really to become lucid my chances are 100%/100%. But you have to remember to be relaxed and keep some focus but not too much that you can't fall asleep. But if were talking about the length of lucidity than I like DILD over WILD. Even though WILD you go straight into the dream, you can still realize in a DILD dream early so that the length you have in a dream is longer. : 3

I have a list of goals I wish to achieve. Some can be fulfilled today, others can be fulfilled in a year's time. If I feel demotivated, I look longingly at my wish list - my goals - and remind myself: baby steps.

But let's be specific: baby steps, for me, include increasing my awareness, continuing to do reality checks, meditation one day, strong reflection of the dream world the other. These are the building blocks for having lucid dreams. I recommend learning to be content and realistic with goals. For me, having restarted after much time away from practise, I'm giving myself 2 months to adjust and settle into a new mindset, ready for some serious lucid dreaming exercises.

Another interesting thing to do, is to track your progress on a cool spreadsheet that clearly displays your ongoing achievements and successes. That really keeps me motivated, knowing how far I'm getting - and how much closer I am to achieving my next great milestone!

Originally Posted by Legacy

Partly why I quit learning the last time is I felt like I had made no progress, that all of this was just an urban myth, I am learning again, hopefully this time I will be successful, what do you do when you feel like you are making no progress that gives you your motivation back and that may work for me?

You really just need to refocus. There has to be a need or calling to find your dreams. You have to want to know. You can't just progress through your dreams aimlessly. Find what you need to know. Your dreams aren't just a fanciful storytelling device they service a purpose.

Know that if you are doing the day and night work consistently, then you *are* progressing, whether or not you see the results immediately. They take time to manifest. There is very little that can compete with the awesomeness of a night full of excellent dreaming, lucid or not. Lucid is awesome, to be sure, but vivid non-lucids can be (actually usually are) even more fun.

There is only one guarantee: if you quit, you will never progress. The time will pass anyway, don't you want it to pass building your dreaming skills higher and higher? Lucid dreaming is a tough mental discipline and requires dedication and consistency, and taking the long view that you will develop your abilities over the years.

Usually when i am not progressing I focus back on the basics (journalling, RCs, thinking over my dream signs) and don't stress over it, knowing my subconscious will do the rest.

PS - Have you read Stephen LaBerge's book "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming"? Reading that is the best way to get mitigated and learn the basics.

Originally Posted by FryingMan

but vivid non-lucids can be (actually usually are) even more fun.

I can't be the only one with boring dreams. Tonight for example, ~8 minute long dream about buying frozen noodles. I've also had dreams about cutting wood, and that was it. A whole dream just cutting wood, that precious brain power wasted...

What works for my motivation is to start reading a lot about lucid dreaming, it works somehow for me.

Originally Posted by Forg

I can't be the only one with boring dreams. Tonight for example, ~8 minute long dream about buying frozen noodles. I've also had dreams about cutting wood, and that was it. A whole dream just cutting wood, that precious brain power wasted...

What works for my motivation is to start reading a lot about lucid dreaming, it works somehow for me.

Oh I get plenty of the "just hanging out in some random place with people" dreams all the time. In fact, my dreams are sometimes so bland recently that there's nothing that grabs my attention to aid in lucidity. You need a really high level of background awareness in those cases to get lucid. But then there are the vivid ones that are awesome. No matter I love remembering dreams of all sorts. Even chess playing dreams (had one last night)!

i don't think about it for a few days. i stop journaling, stop trying to recall, and then come back to it fresh. sometimes the best thing you can do if you're stumped is walk away for a bit and think about other things. not giving it attention can oftentimes actually make it work. i think this was how DNA was discovered (well with the help of LSD.)

Ah nice! I like this advice. One could even schedule in a 1 week break, for instance. 2 months work, then 1 week off - repeat.

I have a reward system based on points that I accumulate daily, lucid dream or not: DJ = 1, 2 or 3 points (depending on the number of recalled dreams), frequent RC during the day = 1 point, LD = 10 points, etc.
Then, I use the points as an "authorization" to go to the movies with my wife (1 point = 10 cents to spend). The idea is to reward the behaviors I know are good for lucid dreaming, even when I have long periods with no lucid dream.
I also keep telling myself that everything I do to increase my probabilities of LD also improve my memory, which is a good thing by itself.