This is how my grandparents relate to music. Both grandmothers have pianos that they play their music on. Grandfathers both had extensive vinyl jazz & classical collections that they would listen to. Shortly after eBay appeared, one grandmother started buying up all the sheet music from her childhood that she could find. I’m not exaggerating when I say that her stack of sheet music is bigger than my stack of synths.
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My only goal is to make my own head bob while making or listening to something I’m doing or did. That’s it!
I LOVE playing around with gear making sounds. I hate my output.
I feel where OP is coming from. I dunno if he’s on the same wavelength as I am. But I understand the feeling.
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I sort of wonder if I’ll have this feeling once I create something I’m happy with. For now the prize still lingers off in the distance, so the impulse remains. I think it’s ok to move on but agree with Craig, an artist is an artist. That might not be with the same stuff you have now but moving on you may find totally other ways to express yourself.
This post kinda reminds me of one of the points raised in The War of Art (Pressfield). Basically he has this idea that when artists have put a great deal of focus on completing some specific goal (he uses the example of an art school capstone exhibition), once that goal has been reached they may not feel the need to keep going. Personally, I don’t see it as a bad thing. It is what it is.
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I had a six year break from music once. It slowly crept back in, until it was clear.
“Oh yeah, this thing. I really like doing this thing”.
Playing with sounds and making music makes me feel better.
So I keep doing it.
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Never 
But I‘m happy for you that you feel good about it
I am a guitar nerd since my teens and I became a professional guitar player that can make a living with playing na d teaching. But, … it became more and more of a job and my obsession faded to the point I didn’t like to play it for my own fun anymore.
…
… So I stopped playing besides my jobs for several years… I turned to electronic music. And than one night ca 4 years ago, I began playing for myself and I liked the sound, the feel of the strings … I loved it again
… maybe life goes in cycles…
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Lol.
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While I think I understand the emotion you are trying to describe @circuitghost and realize you stated you are just posing a theoretical, I don’t see the point in saying or thinking “I quit.”
What is the point? We don’t know how we are going to feel tomorrow, next week, next month, a decade from now. I completely understand putting away a creative pursuit when one feels satisfied but I’ve never completely quit any of my creative pursuits. I’ve always got the basic tools stashed in a drawer somewhere to work on any of them. And I do from time to time.
If someone asked me if drawing, jewelry making or leather working were a hobby of mine I’d say no. But they are things I took a serious interest in at one time or another and still do from time to time.
I wouldn’t say it ever got to that point for me, but I had to learn to deal with the lack of motivation/inspiration without thinking it was all over or something. In my case at least, I think it’s related with the productivity-or-die state of mind that is so common in this day and age.
Having said that, I’m hoping it’s just a phase - I think your music is among the most interesting I’ve found in many years of wondering around in this forum.
I get into all kinds of hobbies. Do them for a few years, then move on. I LOVE trying new things and learning new things. It was telescopes for 4 years, boomerangs for a few summers, speaker building for a year. I bought my kiddo a JDXI 3 years ago and at the time knew nothing about synths or music making or anything. But was instantly in love.
I’ve now been enthralled with music equipment for 3 years, owning so many synths and sequencers and drum machines, etc. I don’t make music like a lot of you, just love equipment. But, I think it’s great to get into something and then move on to something else…life is short, try everything!
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If you ever let sound escape from those machines, you are making music!
I love that book!
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Ahaha… although I do make music with it, I must admit half the reason why I buy new gear is because I love new toys.
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I feel like it’s not the first time you’ve reached this state, dear… 
I love your music, especially this ambient path you’ve taken lately. IMO you can still refine this, but you might prefer totally changing your style once again.
I also love your way with words, you might want to melt music and speech?
Maybe trying to meet another musician and see what you can build with them?
That has always been very inspiring, to me, and I usually can’t wait for the next programmed session!
I’ve just found a neighbor that is into experimental ambient noise, the freedom and joy it brings is priceless to me. Collaboration brings me some extra motivation… And playing regularly with someone that fits your style helps you discovering new places.
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Yah, I actually found it really helpful for understanding my own motivations; and ultimately letting go of a failing self-imposed identity in favour of a much healthier one.
Went from “I’m a music guy so why aren’t I doing music? There must be something wrong”, to “sometimes I like doing music but I don’t really care that much about it”.
Might not exactly be what the author intended but fuck it, I’m happier.
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so true. looking at the unfinished projects in my basement wood shop, one might think i’ve quit woodworking, but no. it’s more like a sabbatical.
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Spegling of creativity and not always feeling inspired.
I love Björks view on creativity…
“i think creativity always lives somewhere in everyone but its nature is quite pranksterish and slippery and everytime u grab its tail its found a nu corner to thrive in (sic),” she wrote. “Perhaps the trick is not to force it and put it up against a wall and want it to be in a particular area . but rather w a lot of kindness sniff it out and wonder where it has gone to this time around. if its in sauce recipes, writing theatre plays, papermache improv w nephews, discovering nu hiking routes or simply trying to figure out a family members sense of humour.
“i def dont succeed in this all the time but feel overall things have been more fertile when i trust this creatures instincts and follow it rather than me willfully reforming it into a circus animal colouring by numbers. anyways: as much as youd like to ignore this animal u have to attend it. because if u dont them dark times turn up…”
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That is an excellent way to put it. I used to think my well had run dry forever but I learned to just focus on something else. Writing, drawing, playing the guitar, landscaping, just different projects that come up as needed, as artfully as possible. I like to feel like a beginner in things, even if I have prior experience. Its like phases, oscillations, seasons. Eventually I come back to music fresh & vigorous & I enjoy it again. It annoys the hell out of people who enjoy my work, “are you ever going to do anymore _______?” Possibly. Maybe. I might. Dunno for sure. For me, it’s not about me wanting to or not wanting to, couldn’t ever be done with any of it. I’m done looking at music as an industry that I must find a way into, or as a product to be marketed and sold, a commodity for consumption designed to be as pleasing to as many individual listeners as possible. That doesn’t hold up anymore.
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Going from laboriously making albums in a DAW to tossing off live videos made a big difference for me. All the fun and none of the labor. I wasn’t lacking motivation so much as dragged down by the process.
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