Consistency

I have an incredibly inconsistent LD rate. for instance, i haven't had one for a month, I had been trying to wild after a wbtb from ~2 weeks ago until 3 days ago and then i had 3 abnormally long ones last night. It always seems to work like this:

1. I try for 1-3 weeks to get an LD using a new technique.
2. I eventually stop for one reason or another.
3. nothing happens for 2-6 days
4. I get one night of 3-6 lucid dreams.
5. When im not trying I seem to get like ~1 every other week.

This is incredibly frustrating, because it seems that the only time i can LD is when i'm not trying. Every time I have ever gone to bed with the intention of LDing, I have failed, but I have a ton of unintentional ones...:?

This is just another confirmation of trying too hard does more harm than good. If you want it too much you will fail, you need to have a passive attitude.

My point is that you shouldn't put your trust in techniques and methods but in yourself, because there are actually just two techniques Direct entry and indirect.
So choose one or both and just go with it.

Instead of thinking "I am going to have a lucid dream tonight" or "OMG I want a lucid dream so badly tonight" and so on just think "I know what a lucid dream is let's get to sleep" LOL.
Let it become a natural thing, you don't even have to write down all your dreams just recall them mentally in your head and remember how it FELT, because when you know your feeling of awareness it will be easier to notice it without doing reality checks and dream journals. Because this will be your dream awareness and reality check at the same time!
And don't count your lucid dreams or weeks and so on be in the moment not in the past or the future. Of course you should do what you want but try to recognize the things that makes you stressed or frustrated. And in my experience those are the things that made me stressed.

And while going to sleep, don't think about tomorrow or yesterday think about the NOW. Put all your problems aside and focus on your breath and what thoughts that come to mind and practice meditation, but fail the meditation and fall asleep while doing it! Just have the mindset of "There is a new night tomorrow".

Good luck! (If you have any other question go ahead :) )

That's a very good post, Iapetos. The only thing, I would recommend keeping up with DJ and RCs and daytime awareness.

But yes, instead of wanting, have an understanding and firm believe, that you are good at lucid draming. Everybody has a non-lucid time sometimes and if you accept that, it will be easier on you. :)

Practice ADA and believe in yourself.

I get some lag between the time I try to have a lucid dream, and when the actual dream hits. Normally, it is around a week. This is consistent with my normal dreams. I usually dream about events from last week. I operate on some weird 7 day delay. If I incubate dream content tonight, I will not reap the rewards until next weekend.

Fixed your thread title.

Nothing wrong with unintentional LDs. Unexpected can add a fun element to it, like not knowing what song will play next on the radio and suddenly hearing something you really like.

If you're becoming lucid I wouldn't think it should matter, unless you can't control the elements.

Try to not let this bother you. Anxiety seems to be the biggest killer to most of our best intentions.