Success doesn’t come easily to everyone. We would all want this not to be true, particularly because of the tough economy we live in; but it is true, and now even more than before. While keeping higher levels of motivation is rarely an issue if your online business is flourishing, your personal drive can certainly take a hit when you experience setbacks or feel like you’re in a slump.
Lack of motivation can seriously undermine your confidence, and hurt your business’ success potential, up to a point where you will soon be giving up on your venture before even having a chance to fully experience the success you aspire for. Did you know that:
- 7 out of 10 new firms survive at least 2 years
- 50% survive at least 5 years
- less than a third are still standing after 10 years
- and only 20% of businesses stay in business for 15 years or more
On the other hand, the more motivated you are, the easier it is to tackle the ambitious goals and reach higher levels of success in your business. Follow the tips below to re-charge and always stay motivated in business, to climb out of the slump, and create the momentum you need in order to reach your targets.
1. Think what inspired you at first. Relive past successes.
It’s always good to look back at what motivated you to begin your business in the first place, and to remind yourself of that initial spark. In our busy day-to-day lives, we easily forget to just take a step back and be proud of how far along we have already come and how much we have accomplished.
When you feel down, try to relive some of your past successes. Think of the process you went through, the experience, and how it felt like to reach that goal, hit an important milestone in your career, or make a life-changing decision and become a business owner. That will get you over the hurdle and into the action. It’s like when you want to smile; even though it may be forced at first, you’ll naturally react with more smiles. Try it
2. Evaluate and renew your goals.
Setting goals is a sure-fire motivator even when the lack of motivation isn’t directly related to achieving specific targets. Take some time to reevaluate your current ambitions, and set S.M.A.R.T. goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Break them down into smaller milestones to make the goals more approachable and manageable, and use them to keep you motivated. Psychologists say people live more satisfied lives when they make steady progress toward achievements that are valuable to them.
Be realistic about what you and your business can accomplish in the defined period to avoid getting disappointed. Align your aspirations with your resources and bandwidth.
3. Reward yourself. Give yourself a pat
on the back for job well done.
Mistakes do happen in business, but instead of breaking down and focusing on the bad, look at them as opportunities to learn and improve. So don’t despair when you do it wrong, and celebrate and reward yourself when you get it right.
Take credit for all your hard work and dedication, and reward yourself for good results, you’ve deserved it! Give yourself something you’ve wanted as incentive and use that to stay motivated to keep achieving your goals in the future.
4. Find inspiration in others.
We all share similar experiences in all different life areas. When you learn how other successful entrepreneurs have managed to overcome the same obstacles you are faced with, you’ll feel more inspired to attack your own challenges and setbacks. Seeking inspiration from other successful people can also give you some creative ideas, open your eyes to new possibilities and encourage your goals.
Get inspired by established peers, talk to your customers and use their feedback to improve and reinvigorate your business, and look at the positive impact you’ve had on your community to keep your motivation higher.
5. Focus on the bright side. Say no to negativity.
When external events you can’t control prevent you from reaching your goals, look for motivation within yourself to avoid falling into a negative mindset and to lift your spirits. Look for the new opportunities these events have created, think positive, figure out what gets you moving, listen to your favorite music, and swap bad-news media coverage for feel-good motivational talks.
Surround yourself with smart, upbeat and ambitious people who reflect the person and success you want to achieve, and avoid people who suck out your energy, motivation and happiness.
6. Try new approaches. Break out of your old routines.
At some point we all get stuck in our routines, and routines become boring and cause loss of motivation.
Get creative, change the way you do things, when you do them, how you think about them, and introduce new approaches to tackle everyday tasks and business practices, break out of your old routines, and renew your motivation.
7. Make time for breaks.
Working too hard will burn you out. Take care of yourself, eat well, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest, and in turn you will be taking care of your business as well. Leading a balanced life is very important, and is directly related to greater optimism and productivity. Sometimes, all you need to get motivated is to take a couple of days off to recharge your senses, do something completely different and reconnect with your true passions for the job that propelled you forward in the first place.
It takes lots of dedication and strength to starting a home based business and entrepreneurs are known for being able to stay true to their powerful intrinsic spirit and keep going against all odds. When you’re faced with tough challenges, the seven motivational tips above will help you get through them.
Do you have your own tips on how to stay motivated in business that you can share? Please tell us your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.