What drives you to do the not so fun things like bookkeeping?

What keeps you consistent in daily tasks like social media marketing?

What pushes you to try new things {like bringing someone else on to your team}?

As entrepreneurs, our plate is often full and the hat we wear is ever-changing. One day we’re the CEO, and the next we’re a customer service rep. The overwhelm and exhaustion seems to sneak up on us when we least expect it.

If I've learned one thing over these past 4.5 years as a business owner, it's that in order to scale a business to its fullest potential, motivation is one of the biggest secret ingredients.

Here are five ways I found {and continue to find} motivation in building my own business:

 

1. Getting Into the Right Headspace

Like so many other challenging ventures, business ownership is as much a mental game as anything else. You can have all the knowledge, degrees, certifications in the world…but a bad mindset sets you up to fail. When chaos rules, our natural reaction can be to shut down. 

Find ways to center yourself ~ meditation, daily walks, journaling, etc. Find what works for you and your brain to help you stay focused and motivated to get the work done. 

P.S. Have you ever tried binaural beats and/or isochronic tones? To be honest, I thought it was a little out there when I heard about it, but I'm telling you, it's a game-changer when you're trying to focus, be creative, and/or cross things off your to-do list. Here's a link to one of my faves.

 

2. Develop Empowering {non-business} Habits

It might sound silly to increase business motivation by looking at your non-business habits. But think about it: you are at the center of your business. If you’re healthy, energized, and thriving…there’s a good chance it’ll translate. 

Now, I’m the first to admit that it’s tempting to stay up late eating popcorn and binging Netflix {I’m looking at you, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel}. But I also know that leaves me feeling more or less like garbage the next day, and when I feel like that, I’m not motivated to do those necessary tasks to help my business function and grow. 

That’s why I strive {often imperfectly} to do the following:

• Get a full night’s sleep ~ that means stepping away from the screens. 
• Spend time outside ~ Vitamin D is good for my soul!
• Consciously move my body with something as simple as a walk ~ if you don’t need to be on screen from a meeting, take the it on your phone and hit the pavement for a quickly walk while you’re on the call. 
• Eat three meals a day filled with nutrient dense food {plus the occasional piece of chocolate because…you gotta live a little}

 

3. Build a Network

Businesses are built for people and with people. As I’ve built my network over the years, I’ve found myself inspired by so many fellow female entrepreneurs. Their energy, their journey, and their stories inspire and fuel the motivation in my own business.

When you lean into a network of like-minded peeps, they help you navigate those parts of your business you’re not so great at {or don’t enjoy}...and in return, you do the same for them. If you’re not email marketing savvy, ask someone in your circle who is. And if you’re detail oriented {yours truly}, offer to help someone navigate the back-end organization of their business. It’s all about give-and-take ~ no one way streets, friend. 

 

4. Learn from Losses

The reality is that entrepreneurship is full of failures. Trust me, I know. But I also know that failure is simply a result {just like success}, and I’d rather use it to my advantage than toss it aside. 

For starters, agonizing over a loss, like a poor quarterly report or loss of a potential client, doesn’t do you any good. It doesn’t change the outcome. Instead, look at what feedback to take away from the loss. Let the loss motivate you to learn and improve.

 

5. Celebrate the Wins

Unfortunately, another sad reality in entrepreneurship is that we too often forget to celebrate the wins. We can get so caught up in the day-to-day that we lose track of the victories. When you’re in the trenches of building a business, taking a moment to pause and celebrate can be just the motivation you need to keep going.  

Of course, there are big wins to celebrate like meeting sales goals. But I also encourage entrepreneurs I work with to celebrate those small wins as well ~ signing a new client, getting your workspace organized, publishing a blog. These seemingly small things are what make your business go round. Getting them done is a win. 

 

Passion and purpose planted the seed of your business, but your motivation is the water to make it flourish. It isn’t natural to live in a motivated state 24/7, which is why you’ll need to find ways to help you tap into motivation along the way.

If you’re still feeling stuck and overwhelmed, it might be time for fresh eyes to take a look at how your business is running. Let us know if we can help!