I go in spurts with incentive. Start a project then get sidetracked, then start another project before finishing the 1st one and so on. Deadlines helps me to get stuff done though. Now that the gardening is just about done for the season I can get back to the sewing room and maybe finish a couple projects before the 1st snow fall.
As to the projects, if I see one that looks interesting I keep the magazine or pattern on a shelf with the ideas written on a piece of scratch paper tucked or pinned to it for future thoughts. Then from time to time I go thru my pile of future ideas and see if they still have interest in my mind's eye. If not, they get put back where they belong and I move on.