“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” ~ Napoleon Hill
Contents:
5 Ways to Get Motivated in Business
Millions of people around the world have a deep desire to start their own businesses. Many start their business because they want more autonomy and control over their time. Others are driven by their desire to remove the income ceiling and feel that they can explore more options to increase their income.
Like many entrepreneurs before me, I had a deep desire to be my own boss. While working in a stable job with a decent income in my mid-20s, I started side businesses that created additional streams of income. I’m especially proud that I was able to get a contract to supply a hotel in the resort area with vegetables and other food supplies. In time, challenges arose with getting the food supplies on time. Even though I eventually terminated the contract, that experience taught me the importance of being resilient and adaptable in business.
Go into Business With Eyes Wide Open
If you own your business or are an entrepreneur, you will often be faced with challenges that can affect your motivation. Therefore, it’s important to go into business with eyes wide open and be prepared for the challenges that will undoubtedly arise. What are some ways you can prepare yourself? The following are five ways you can become more motivated:
- Define your core values. Create a mission statement with your core values as this will guide you and your business through challenges. Dig deep to determine why you want to start your own business. When I discuss this with my clients, I invite them to think of an onion. There are many layers that you must peel back to get to the core. You will want to do the same. If your primary goal is only to “make more money,” you could easily lose your motivation if you’re not attracting enough clients and customers. Rather, by aligning your business with a specific purpose you are more likely to stay motivated in business.
- Create Milestones. If you’re going on a long journey, you could create checkpoints on the map or create mental milestones so that you can track how well you’re doing. When you create your goals, make sure to divide them into short-term and long-term goals. You should then break those goals into smaller components so that it’s easier to monitor your progress. Creating only long-term goals can affect your motivation as you could incorrectly conclude that you’re not progressing, when you really are.
- Surround yourself with positive people. The people around you play a big role in your success. Some may be your basement people, which means that they’re negative and will pull you down. On the other hand, positive, like-minded visionaries and entrepreneurs will be your balcony people. They lift you up when you feel down and encourage you to stay motivated in business. You need emotional support and surrounding yourself with positive people can provide that support for you.
- Remember Your Why. As mentioned earlier, challenges will arise. You may be tempted to quit and start looking for another 9 to 5 job. Remind yourself of why you started your business in the first place. Talk with others who are business owners and entrepreneurs. Work with a coach or mentor. You started your business for a reason—not just to make more money. Ask yourself, “If I give up on myself, where will I be in five years? What will my life look like?” Remember that it takes resilience and perseverance to run a business. You may fall but you can get back up again.
- Be Accountable. Accountability in any area is critical. It is a process. First you want to be accountable to yourself and your goals. You also want to have an accountability partner or accountability group. Again, this partner may be a friend who will not buy into your excuses, or it may be a mentor or coach. Knowing that you have someone to whom you give an account of your actions and results could make the difference between giving in and trying one more time.
So far, we’ve talked about getting motivated and acknowledged that challenges will arise to rob you of your motivation and five suggestions to become more motivated. Let’s consider 5 ways to stay motivated in business.
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s
why we recommend it daily.” ~ Zig Ziglar
5 Ways to Keep Motivation Going
You may begin to feel re-motivated but initial motivation often fades. What can you do to keep your motivational spark glowing brightly? The following are five ways to keep your motivation going.
- Remember the pain points. Pain points are issues and challenges that arise when the problem remains unsolved. You can maintain your motivation if you remember what’s at stake if you don’t follow through.
- Don’t play leapfrog. Feelings of motivation can sometimes slip into the category of finding the next high. Instead of bouncing from goal to goal, make sure you finish what you start before getting motivated about something else. For example, as an online entrepreneur, the digital world offers many ways to market your business. Choose one and focus on that one method for a given time, say 90 days. Master it well before you switch to another method.
- Know Yourself. Make sure the goals you set are yours and not goals that others believe you should set for yourself. When you try to accomplish goals that other people set for you, your motivation can wane. At the same time, learn to let go of stuff that’s beyond your control.
- Visualize. Picturing the result of your goal can go a long way towards continuing your motivation to succeed. The positive energy you build around that imagery will affect you at a subconscious level, while the mental affirmation that you can achieve it will do loads for your self-confidence, which will also help you stay the course. This visualization could include creating a vision board where you create headings and what you’d like your life to look like in 1, 5 or even 10 years. Another even more simple strategy is to journal your thoughts and goals.
- Stay organized. If you want to stay motivated in business, you need to do some work to you’re your motivation alive. Put your goals on your calendar where you can see them every day. Create an Action Plan and make sure that you’re doing something to move you forward and maintain your momentum every day.
Summary
While motivation is something you need to cultivate and nurture, remember that with resilience, determination, and the right mindset you can succeed, and your business can thrive.
