Entrepreneurship is not for the faint at heart. While I used to believe that anyone could be a business owner, I’ve since realized that’s not entirely true. The truth is while in theory, it’s true, it requires a special kind of personality to stay motivated while building a business.
Here’s what I mean. I sometimes I have conversations with people who simply don’t want to build a business. They don’t want to turn their passion into their job because they won’t stay motivated. Or, they like the perceived security of a paycheck every two weeks. That is more than okay.
On the other hand, there are individuals out there that do have what it takes to stay motivated. While some may be a personality trait, we still have to do the work to continue staying motivated to run a business. Because, like I said, it’s not easy. There are also lots of moving parts. Here are some ways to stay motivated on this crazy journey.
Focus on the progress you’re making.
One thing that separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is their ability to focus on progress instead of problems. This doesn’t mean they ignore problems, it simply means they choose to focus on how much they’ve progressed.
For example, I have plenty of current challenges in my business. I know I’ll figure them out. How do I know? Because I’ve done it in the past and focus on the fact that things don’t throw me off like they used to. Additionally, I have more opportunities coming my way than ever before.
Turn challenges into a game.
Another way business owners can stay motivated is to start seeing challenges like a game. In other words, rather than seeing challenges as fires that need to be put out, see them as a problem-solving challenge.
In doing so, you shift your mindset from one of extreme stress to being more in control. You also become much less reactive to situations. If you’re able to do this, you can stay motivated even when problems arise.
Meditation.
I’ve interviewed a lot of people, both for my podcast and for client articles. One thing I’ve noticed is how many successful people credit meditation for their success. It seems as if every other entrepreneur I know meditates on a regular basis.
I’ve had a personal meditation practice for years. At the time of writing this, I’m 30 days away from a year of consecutive meditation. I can tell you from personal experience that my life and business look entirely different than they did a year ago.
I’m more open to opportunities, challenges don’t stress me out as much anymore and my inner critic is a lot quieter. I’m also more in control of my emotions. This allows me to stay motivated during the task of running a business.
Have fun!
The final step in your ability to stay motivated as you run a business is to have some fun! A friend recently asked me how work was going and I responded as follows:
“It’s great! I have some challenges and there’s a lot of work, but I’m also having a lot of fun. I’m excited to see where things go.”
Will there be moments that aren’t fun? Yes. But your ability to focus on the things that are will help you stay motivated.
