When the going gets rough in business, you’ll need the motivation to keep moving. Motivating yourself can be hard but practicing consistent habits such as reminding yourself of why you started can be a major boost. A network of friends and partners can also serve as a great assurance and reminder that you’re not walking alone.
Here are the various ways entrepreneurs and business owners stay motivated in business.
#1-The feedback we get
What keeps me motivated is the feedback that we get from our customers. In our Facebook group, people are always sharing amazing testimonials and how our brand changed their lives. I love hearing those stories, and engaging with our clients makes me feel motivated and optimistic about our future.
Thanks to Alex Keya, goPure Brands!
#2- Three things
I’m a firm believer that the best way to stay motivated is to pay attention to fundamental parts of one’s routine that keep us healthy and happy. I’ve already been exercising and practicing good sleeping habits even before the pandemic but that doesn’t seem to be quite enough these days. That’s why I’ve added playing multiplayer games such as Among Us and other engaging games to play with my friends and family. Games have proven to be quite effective in warding off my anxiety and keeping me relaxed. This positive mindset has helped me weather through the challenges of the pandemic and kept me motivated despite the challenges.
Thanks to Simon Elkjær, avXperten!
#3- Learning and doing something different
I notice my efficiency levels drop and I become less focused and motivated to push through my work when I work on one project or task for too long. The obvious solutions would be to take a vacation, change your environment, or incorporate small breaks into your schedule. From my experience, I can work much harder on a project that is new, exciting, and challenging. I am not one who thrives in repetitive environments. Consistently having the opportunity to do something different and learn is highly rewarding for me and keeps me engaged longer. From an employee standpoint, I would recommend asking to be included in new projects or task forces. Also, time blocking your schedule can help to keep the excitement alive. Making sure you are not overworking yourself by trying to keep up with different time zones if working with people from all over the world. I always stress the importance of rest and work-life balance to all of my employees. Implementing a few of these tips will greatly improve your productivity and efficiency in the long run.
Thanks to Jason Akatiff, Boundery!
#4- Doing daily meditation at 5am everyday
This habit helps me have a moment of peace without any distractions because most of the world is still sleeping. During this time, I think of my top three goals and imagine myself successfully accomplishing them. I set several goals everyday which I can accomplish that day in terms of outreach to new clients and health and wellness goals. As a result, I consistently feel a sense of accomplishment.
Thanks to Aidan Sowa, Sowa Marketing Agency!
#5- Time for myself in the morning
My number one habit that has tremendously helped with motivation and productivity is dedicating time to myself every morning before jumping into the workday. This strategy helps to get rid of anxiety or stress from the previous day, increasing my likelihood to succeed by allowing me to start my day with a clear and focused mind. Waking up an hour earlier in the morning and setting aside time for physical exercise, followed by a 10/15 minute meditation, has been transformative for my productivity and organization abilities as well as my mental and physical health. I follow my workout and meditation with a healthy and nutritious breakfast. I like to enjoy the time I have to myself and be present while eating, resisting the urge to be on my phone or use any technology. I have been following this rule since the start of the pandemic and share it with everyone in my life. It is so simple and easy to implement yet so significant when it comes to productivity and overall efficiency.
Thanks to Ashwin Sokke, WOW Skin Science!
#6- Get the heart pumping
I start every day with a workout, alternating between running, lifting, and swimming to keep it balanced and interesting. When I first started working out, though, I used to try to muster the energy to go to the gym after work. I had a hard time keeping it in my routine, and it just got really discouraging. Once I tried working out in the morning I was hooked. It's like you're getting over the biggest hurdle (motivation) right up front, first thing each day. After that, the rest of the day seems so much less challenging somehow. The juice from the workout helps give me the energy and motivation I need to get through the rest of my day.
Thanks to Andrei Kurtuy, Novorésumé!
#7- Measuring myself against my peers
I have always looked at my peers, coworkers, competitors, and more as a way to see where I am in my journey. It’s a great way for me to see where I’m at and make sure I’m on the right track. If I see myself falling behind, then I need to put myself into the next gear and makeup ground. By doing this, I am always motivating myself to be the best I can be!
Thanks to Seb Hall, Cloud Employee!
#8- Focusing on the customers
As an entrepreneur, I think the best way to stay motivated is to stay focused on what is most important, your customer. I do my best to stay focused on my clients and the quality of the service that they are receiving. This way I can hone in on their satisfaction and, in turn, hopefully earn their trust and gain their referrals. I remain truly motivated to ensure that the process, the staff, and their overall experience is exactly what they were hoping for and more. I think many times entrepreneurs get too hung up on change and growth, and unfortunately, sometimes it's the client who suffers. I genuinely care for those we are helping and serving and I want them to feel that as well.
Thanks to Tom Parmentier, MaxHousePrice!
#9- Creating alignable goals
My number one tip for staying motivated is to create goals that align with your core values. Then implement good habits that support reaching your goals. When your goals are clear and you identify what habits you need to create to support them, staying motivated becomes much easier. Since you've implemented good habits, you begin to do these things that are critical to achieving your goals without having to give it a lot of thought…motivation becomes less of an issue because you've routinized the keys to your success.
Thanks to Cheryl McColgan, Heal Nourish Grow!
#10- Positive thinking
The one way that helps me stay motivated with anything I do in my life is by mitigating negative thoughts. When I entertain negative thoughts, it is easy to partake in negative habits like not exercising, procrastinating, eating unhealthy, not drinking water, or laying around in the dark all day. When all of those things are taking place, my professional work suffers. Once I weed out negative thoughts, positive feelings resume towards the things that support my livelihood. Some examples of those are exercising, eating healthy regularly, getting sunlight daily, and most importantly,
completing a project on time.
Thanks to Imani Francies, QuickQuote.com!
#11- Connecting with entrepreneurs
The main thing that keeps me motivated in my career is connecting with and following like-minded entrepreneurs. As a Boston resident who works in restaurant marketing, I've found that there are many entrepreneurs like myself who are in the same business. Using online groups and connecting via social media has been a great way to not only motivate each other, but to constantly be inspired by others' work.
Thanks to Christina Orso
#12- The fight for survival
In the recent months of the global pandemic, what has been my biggest motivation is the fight for survival of my business and the need to be strong for my employees through these difficult times. This is not the time to sit back and wait for life to go back to the way it was. Right now, it's about surviving. Being agile, nimble, and quick. Constantly evaluating the headwinds and reacting. By forward-thinking and planning to ensure the survival of my company I have not had the time to be unmotivated. My favorite motivational quote related to business is There’s no biggest challenge, all challenges in every moment are huge. I always remember this quote when I get overwhelmed by a situation or a task and look outside of myself to find perspective. The speaker suggests that the only way to overcome each challenge or take the opportunity to improve is always from the same playbook. You need to face each challenge as an opportunity to improve and grow. God presents these challenges to you as a means to climb the ladder of success. But if you fail to learn the lesson you can’t advance to the next level.
Thanks to Jonathan Bass, Whomhome.com!
#13- I follow my curiosity
Steven Johnson's Book Wonderland, he says You'll find the future where people are having the most fun. So, I'm pursuing what is fun for me and seeing where that leads. It has already lead to new business, relationships that I never would have had if I wasn't open to doing play experiments. An added bonus is I just feel bolder in trying things out because there are really no rules in this new normal. No one has the solution to how one should act during this pandemic. There is no pandemic perfectionist playbook, so I figure I know myself better than anyone else, so just follow my curiosity and see where that takes me.
Thanks to Jeff Harry, Rediscover Your Play!
#14- Two ways
I stay motivated by staying patient, and reminding myself of the big picture. I know there are many steps and many hours before reaching my actual goal. First comes the hard work, then comes the reward. I have seen this true throughout my different business startups.
Thanks to Ben Tanner, Strummingly!
#15- Praying and Pomodoro technique
I found it useful to pray with gratitude after waking up and before going to bed at night. It helps me to boost my drive and knuckle down when necessary. Additionally, I use the Pomodoro technique to keep me focused. At times I cannot concentrate, so I spend one Pomodoro (25 minutes) talking with my loved ones or watching funny videos. It fills me with positive energy every time!
Thanks to Yker Valerio, Bon Vivant Caffê!
#16- The dream and the nightmare
As a CEO and entrepreneur, you are motivated by the dream that you envision for your company, or by the nightmare that you are trying to avoid. I am motivated by both. When you get distracted from the day-to-day (sometimes mundane) tasks that come with running a company, think about the purpose of your company and the dream impact that you want to make through it. For a further kick towards productivity, reflect on the nightmare of not achieving that dream. Humans are very negatively motivated – we choose to avoid bad things more often than we will choose to reach for good things. Thinking of the nightmare helps to harness this human tendency and kicks you into action when the dream isn't enough.
Thanks to Hannah Kuspira, Knowlejoble!
#17- Isolate and Conquer
Whenever I start to feel unmotivated in my work I try to isolate what exactly that it is I am resisting. When procrastination hits it's easy to brandish ourselves lazy or shirking, but often it has more to do with how we feel about a specific task. I ask myself what part of that task am I resisting? Is it the creative part of the process that I am getting stuck on and I need more inspiration? Maybe there are gaps in my technical knowledge that I need to research further. Perhaps it's confidence or visibility issues that can be addressed with a coach or accountability partner. Isolating the blockage makes me appreciate the parts that are working to motivate me towards completion.
Thanks to Moyra Michelle Nguyen
#18- Positive reinforcement
Running a small shop is hard work and dedication and then when Covid hit things just got much more complicated. Many small and medium businesses closed for undefinite periods or just went bankrupt. I managed to keep The Village Rock shop alive through what I believe is a little thing called positive reinforcement. I just kept pushing through and opened an online shop and stayed connected with my customers through social media. Looking forward to the day things will get back to normal and I'll be able to receive people in my physical shop for amazing chats about the things we both love the most is what kept and still keeps me motivated.
Thanks to Xenia Mateiu, The Village Rock Shop!
#19- My anxiety
Anyone who knows me will say that I'm the most determined person they have met. I’m somebody who fixes my mind on something, then I’ll make it happen. I have a clear goal and I don’t lose focus or get distracted by other things. I have constant anxiety of whether I’m gonna achieve that goal or not and because I am anxious, it drives me further to do more than somebody else will.
Thanks to Daisy Jing, Banish!
#20- A daily routine
I believe that the thing that helps me stay sane and motivated during these stressful, uncertainty-filled times is a daily routine that I hold on to for my dear life. I make an effort to eat healthy, exercise, plenty of sleep and have lots of time dedicated to my hobby, which is photography. This may seem like trivial advice, but it works. It’s extremely important to push yourself if you feel like staying in bed all day even on a workfree day. There are days when you slip and choose not to do anything, but it’s crucial not to let it happen two days in a row, as it’s a straight road to failure.
Thanks to Mike Sadowski, Brand24!
#21- By having goals
2-3 years goals, 1 year goals, quarterly goals and then weekly goals. Spending the time to set up a plan saves you time in deciding on how to execute. People can easily become distracted and go of course. Even with a plan this can be tough, but by investing the time up-front you will save yourself a lot of time in the end. Just know you will need to revisit the plan and update it from time to time. The first step is a rough draft, then go from there. The enemy of good is perfect, just start.
Thanks to Ryan McEniff, Minute Women Home Care!
#22-Looking at my payroll
As a business owner, staying motivated is very important to me. There are lots of people who rely on me and my business and if I lose motivation, they will all suffer, not to mention that I would also suffer. Because of this, I always make sure that I am motivated by looking at my payroll. Yup, my payroll reminds me of the people who need me and my business. This is why whenever I look at it, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and that makes me stay motivated.
Thanks to Chris Muktar, WikiJob.co.uk!
#23-My family
My family will always be my biggest motivation. That's what keeps me going through hard times. It's what gives me the discipline and motivation to keep building great things. Family is always there to encourage you, congratulate you, pick you up when you're down, and enable you to grow together.
Thanks to Zohar Gilad, InstantSearch+!
#24- Setting personal challenges
I think challenging yourself is very important for motivation. You have to enjoy challenges as a growing step in your journey. I love setting personal challenges that help me reach new heights, but you can also rely on your family, friends, or colleagues to set challenges and keep each other in check. It's vital for growth, and it works in both good and bad phases of your life.
Thanks to Akram Assaf, Bayt.com!
#25- A few things
I review my list of 1, 3, 5 and 10 year goals on a daily basis. Then I complete a quick mental check on where I stand relative to each of the goals. This motivates me to determine if I'm on track and if not think of what I need to do to get back on track. I also read books and listen to podcasts surrounding real estate and personal development. The ideas and success stories inspire me to continue taking action to reach my personal and business goals and perhaps set new goals.
Thanks to Ryne Lambert, Sell My House In Wisconsin!
#26- Visualize your goals or tasks as DONE
Motivation is not a one-in-done event, but rather a daily mindset and interaction with yourself. Just as you recharge your cell phone every day, you must also reboot your motivation. That is why I start every day with a quick challenge for myself. I assess what needs to get accomplished that day and I break those tasks down to the simplest components and then rank them. Next, I envision them completed. Done. I allow myself a few minutes to acknowledge how I will feel when those tasks are completed and what getting them done will then enable me to do (something fun and whimsical or relaxing and free.) Then I begin my day. Every time that I stall out or veer off course, I course correct by re-imagining that feeling of getting those tasks completed and what it then enables me to do. This is a quick mindset reset to remind and reward and to elevate energy to accomplish more.
Thanks to Randi Levin
#27- Talking issues through and brainstorming
I stay motivated by having a close circle of other entrepreneurs who check in regularly with each other and discuss current goals, how we are working toward them, and what problems we are facing. Talking issues through and brainstorming new solutions together always provides a fresh perspective and new motivation.
Thanks to Kim DelMonico, BEinfluence.co!