If you’re wondering how to stay motivated in business, you have probably discovered that motivation doesn’t work! Well, not always anyway. Sometimes motivation can get the wheels spinning, but ultimately you’re not going to be motivated all the time. That means that some weeks you’ll lack motivation and your business can suffer as a result.
So what’s the answer? In any business you need the long term view together with short term strategies which can be broken down into tiny daily steps and habits. Once you start creating habits out of the little things, it’s much easier to sustain your efforts even when you’re not feeling motivated.
How To Stay Motivated In Business: Habits
Mini habits are daily action steps you can do every single day. On their own they will not immediately launch your business into the stratosphere. But, over time they will have a compounding effect. Firstly, forming mini habits is incredibly powerful and starts momentum in your chosen direction. Think of a habit like brushing your teeth. You probably do this without thinking but over the years it will have kept your teeth healthy and saved you a fortune on dentist bills!
You want to apply the same strategy to your business. Create daily habits which start very small but which over time have a compounding effect. One habit I’ve created for my online business is to write a blog post every week. Some weeks I’ll write more and some less. But it started with a weekly habit which became a daily habit. Now it feels wrong not to write a blog post.
There’s nearly 600 blog posts on this site now. Each one on its own doesn’t amount to much. But the compounding effect means I now benefit from free traffic from the search engines.
How To Stay Motivated in Business: Accountability & Connections
Another thing that’s useful is to find yourself someone who will hold you accountable. If you’re starting an online business for the first time, this can be difficult. Often, we are surrounded by people trying to get you to quit, rather than egging you on! This makes for a difficult environment and to help combat this you need to surround yourself with like minded people who want you to succeed.
There’s a popular quote from Jim Rohn :
“You’re The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With”
Look at the people around you and ask yourself whether they really want your success. Chances are good that some people would rather maintain the status quo and not have you doing better than them financially. They can subtly pull you back and sabotage your best intentions. Beware of the nay sayers and find people who will lift you up rather than pull you down!
How To Stay Motivated In Business: Align Your Values
If your business doesn’t motivate you, it may be that you’re in the wrong business! Or perhaps you’re approaching it in the wrong way. When your business aligns with your values, you should feel good about what you’re doing. But if you’re only in business only for the bottom line, it could be that your heart and mind are going in different directions.
A business might always be a challenge, but you’re ultimately the driver of it. If there’s a lack in motivation, it could be that you’re no longer passionate about what you’re doing.
To stay motivated in your business, you need to find a way to align your values so that you fully believe in what you’re doing, enjoy the process and rise to the challenges. If you’re feeling like you’re burning out, it might help to understand your reasons for doing business in the first place. In Simon Sink’s book Start With Why, he explains why it is your “why” which ultimately determines the success, or otherwise of a business.
Set Goals & Have Fun
Goals are one of the most important ways you can maintain motivation in any endeavour. Unless you have short, medium and long term goals which motivate you forward, the status quo will become the norm. Your habits will become chores and you’ll lose sight of what you intend to create with your business. Remind yourself why you’re in business frequently. List the reasons you are building a business:
- More freedom
- More choice
- Fun and enjoyment of life
- A personal challenge
- Self growth
- etc.
Goals too can be used to help maintain your focus and clarity. When you’re losing motivation, it’s often a sign that you have become indifferent to your goals, milestones and mission. Revisit your initial reasons for what you’re doing and recharge by taking a break, arranging to have fun and remind yourself of what you have already created.
Sometimes it’s just a small pep talk which you need and a pat on the back! Rome wasn’t built in a day!