Here are some proven techniques to rejuvenate your motivation. (Proven? This is how we got our business going in 2003!!). When we started BlueEskimo we had many dreams and aspirations to be all things to everything and anything. Our Proffessional Lives... My business partner, Nick Bate, and I had worked all of our professional lives within a corporate environment. With this experience we thought, hey, its about time we started to put what we really believed into practice. We didn't realise at the time what that would actually mean..... Many thought (and to a point I suppose still do), they would never succeed. But Nick and I had something special, we had known each other for over twelve years and more importantly we believed TOGETHER we could make a difference and give a service that would grow and more importantly, be recognised as a leading and trust worthy brand. However, without doubt, we have gone through much pain and stress over the last few years. Running your own business is something completely different than helping run someone elses business, especailly one with substantial support and backing! One of the most important lessons we have learnt is that you need to keep your motivation at a level that is much higher than when working for someone else. In this article I thought it may be interesting to share with you some of the things we have done to keep us going in the dark hours. Before I go on, I think both Nick and I agree, family, friends, laughter and luck is a major part of succeeding! Have you ever got to the stage when you ask yourself, 'Why do I bother?' or think enviously of people in cushy jobs? We all do. We forget the stress and frustration of working for a large organisation and that cushy jobs are usually unrewarding in every sense. So how do you recharge your entrepreneurial batteries when they get low? Go back to basics. Take a moment to jot down the benefits you perceive for yourself of working the way you do. Is it for status or money and what you think it will be that appeals to you most? Or do you just like to be in control of your life and your opportunities? List these positive factors on a large piece of paper and stick them on your wall. Then when Monday dawns and you'd rather stay in bed, your list will remind you why you should make the effort. In BlueEskimo, we had to go back to basics some time ago. We had to list what we wanted to do and how we were going to get there. From that time onwards we were then able to concentrate on what we knew we could do best, not just for us, but for family, our friends and of course, our clients! Keep your goals in sight It is hard to climb a hill in the dark. You can't see how far there is to go; nor can you enjoy the satisfaction of seeing how far you have come already. So create another two charts. One with your succinct, short, medium and long-term goals, What am I doing it for? the other with your tasks or objectives this month What are the next few steps to get there? What have I achieved recently? Have faith Lack of confidence, often a result of negative opinions and lifelong conditioning expressed in negative phrases. (Not my quote, but I do agree!) I couldn't!
I don't know how! (A big energy drainer.)
Its not my responsibility!
Im afraid I will fail!
Im told I dont have the experience! So start by talking positively. I can. I'll learn. I will. Fear of failure is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. But looked at another way, it is simply a bad result. So there are no failures, only results. Work through what you've learned from your bad results. Build your confidence Develop self-belief. Success doesn't always go to the strongest person, but to the person with the greatest conviction. After all, most tennis players who make it to Wimbledon have the skills to win - ultimate success is in the mind. People are often terrified by rejection and so they feel that it is better not to try than to be humiliated. But then again remember that old saying, nothing ventured nothing gained. Don't procrastinate Putting difficult decisions or actions off is a symptom of fear. A perfectionist cannot face doing an adequate but less than perfect job, so there is always some reason not to start. If you feel overwhelmed by a daunting task, divide it up into chunks and then just get started on the first one. Look to the future If you don't have a vision of the future it can often seem like what you are doing in the present is pointless. Use picture power or imagination to 'fix' your goals. Have you ever seen something in a shop window and longed for it? It is easier to visualise having something that you can see, so visualise the result you want. Savour the emotions you will feel when (not if) you land that order. (TIP. Being sales professionals we are all materialistic to a point believe me, its not the main driver in our own business! But both Nick and I have pictures of the material things we would like to have that we do not have now. We place these next to our computers to remind us of our goals and what we are working for.) Collect pictures that summarise these emotions - your dream house, your dream car or holiday - and pin these over your desk to remind yourself why you are doing it all. Also write down why you want to do something, even if the reasons hardly seem valid. Something as simple as 'I want a clear desk so I don't have to start the day in a mess' is valid. Clean it up tonight and start tomorrow afresh. And I would add here, dreams. There is nothing wrong with looking at where you would like to go to in the future. What would be the next hill you would like to climb? What would be the hardest mountain to climb? Ask yourself, would I ever have the opportunity to do that? What is the vision of where you would like to be? Most of us think about what we would like to do and then some of us do what we like to think. Have a plan Assess, plan and act! Write a plan for yourself, both in business and personal terms, set tough but realistic objectives with time scales. We all react positively to these. Compile a record of past successes. Buy a coil-bound notebook and fill it with tasks - one per page - that you wish to do. For each, promise yourself a token treat as a reward. As you complete a task, take your reward, tear out the page and keep it somewhere safe. When you feel you are achieving nothing, review your sheets to remind yourself what you have achieved! Tell people what you are going to do - it will make you feel still more committed. Home alone If you work alone, identify an understanding person with whom you can talk through business issues and who will encourage you. A mentor can help here. Be kind to yourself and your health. Worry and stress, tiredness, over work and lack of energy can often start a vicious cycle of demotivation and even illness. Give yourself a break In our business we have gone through all of this. We have both grown with the experience and by simply following some reasonable aims, objectives and vision, we get to succeed in what we want to do. And finally, recognise your achievements. Give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it for having the strength of character to go out and make things happen! |
