Really, that's what you have to do. Practice. Everyone felt (or still feels) like you do because they couldn't be a professional-grade dancer right off the bat. But honestly, read some interviews done with Sharon Kihara or Rachel Brice...they say just to cover the most integral muscle isolations, they had to practice the same thing over and over every day for at least a year. But that's not meant to discourage you -- it just means that everybody, no matter how good they are now, were at one point doing daily drills in front of their bathroom mirrors at home. It will get better. As far as the basics go, the coordination will come quickly. Especially if your teacher is teaching you choreography, just repeating each combination and step until you get it down pat is the real key. That's been my experience, anyway.

You want motivation? Watch the greats in motion. Pick up performance DVDs or borrow them from other dancers and analyze the movements of the dance. Honestly, the biggest motivator for me was watching a "BDSS Tribal Fusion with Sharon Kihara" DVD. After seeing her move, and having read interviews with her that explained how much work she had to put in to get to this point, I was like, "So she wasn't bellydancing straight from the womb. She had to put in the work just like I am. And if she can do it with hard work, I can do the exact same thing, and be just that good."

Don't give up. Everyone, even the pros, still consider themselves students of this dance style. Any bellydancer worth her salt knows we're all still learners. ;-)

Take lessons from a great instructor. Take note of how good it feels to dance. I know that I feel triumph every time I finish a long sweaty class or even a DVD. If nothing else, I take pleasure in the fact that I'm still alive (especially after an Unmata workshop or some other ass-kicking dancer) and not everyone is lucky enough to indulge in their creative dreams.

Motivation is tough. I know I have a hard time finding it. Sometimes you really have to make yourself do it, with the promise that you'll thank yourself later. If things get really crappy, when that 3/4 shimmy just won't come or those down to up belly rolls just don't hack it, put some music on and dance for yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself how you're a pretty princess (warrior queen, goddess, pick whatever you like) and that you are a lovely sight to behold.

It sounds lame, especially if you take yourself seriously like most adults do but really, do some moves in the mirror that you just KNOW look good on you. That will help give you the motivation to get to work on the things that still have room for improvement.

I agree practice makes perfect and everyone starts somewhere. I just started Jazz and starting ITS this Wednesday. Even though I have been dancing for almost a decade, I still have to start from the beginning when I start something new. Ballet, is my worse... but, it gets better.

Thanks for all the replies ladies :)
It really helps.

Yea 3/4 shimmies are my nemesis!!
Lol.
All the advice given was great and by no means was any of it lame.
again,
thanks :)