Vicious cycle

I have "good" classes as well as "challenging" ones.

When lessons go well, I feel so elated and can't wait to do it again.

But when my students gave a lacklustre response, I feel so demotivated.

So, the next time I'm racking my brains, to plan a lesson for that class, I can't help but think: "Why bother? The students won't appreciate it anyhow..."

Thus, I'll end up with a half-baked, uninteresting, ineffective lesson plan.

The lesson will of course disinterest the students further.

Thus, I'll get MORE demotivated.

Get the picture? It's a vicious cycle. One that is essential for me to break.

It isn't an easy thing to do, I tell you.

Each time I'm ill-prepared for a lesson, I just pray really hard that it will go well.
And I try to portray my enthusiasm as best I can... never mind that sometimes the enthusiasm has to be faked.

Haha

That's my mechanism for survival.