As an entrepreneur, you are solely responsible for goal setting and holding yourself accountable. There is nobody in a higher position that’s responsible for your progress, goal setting and performance. It’s all on you.
Many entrepreneurs, news ones especially, have a difficult time with this. If you are not disciplined and motivated, failure is imminent. If you find yourself lacking focus, it’s time to leverage self-motivation to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goal. Use these eight ways to remain motivated while striving toward your personal and business goals.
1. Get adequate rest every night.
A lot of entrepreneurs like to brag about the fact that they work 18-hour days and don’t sleep. Not fully resting will eventually lead to fatigue and burn-out. What good are 18-hour days in the office if you are tired the majority of them? It’s anti-productive. You would be much better off getting a solid six to eight hours of sleep every night. When you start each day fully recharged and rested you will be more productive.
2. Absorb powerful motivational quotes.
Some of the most popular Instagram accounts are ones that share motivational quotes on a regular basis. Sometimes simply reading motivational quotes can help give you the little boost needed to push through a difficult task or situation. You can follow motivational social media accounts or even receive daily inspirational quotes in your inbox. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed, turn to these resources. You can even consider printing them out and filling your office walls with them. Many etch companies decorate their interior walls with motivational messages.
3. Write down your plan and goals.
Every entrepreneur should have a personal plan written out, in detail, that highlights each goal and a plan to achieve each goal. Using as much detail as possible will help you stay on track, and setting several micro-goals will give you the satisfaction of reaching goals along the way. This can contribute considerably when it comes to self-motivation. Small little tastes of victory can help power you through the difficult times, greatly increasing the odds of you knocking out your larger goals.
4. Surround yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone, and there will be a lot of friends and family that don’t understand what you are doing, as well as those that will try to discourage you. Pay no attention to them. Instead, make sure to surround yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs that share the same desire to succeed that you do. Consider joining local entrepreneur-themed meetups and mastermind groups. You become who you surround yourself with, so select wisely.
5. Set personal rewards.
It’s human nature to react well to incentives, so leverage this to your advantage. Something as simple as treating yourself to a nice dinner or attending a sporting event if you hit a specific goal can do wonders for your motivation. You can’t expect to work yourself to the bone non-stop until the end. You have to set performance-based rewards, and collect on them when you do complete a milestone. Use whiteboards or other visual ways to track your progress to each reward. Seeing them will instill additional motivation.
6. Have a daily morning routine.
Every person will have a different start-of-the-day routine that will effectively help them begin their work with a high-level of energy and enthusiasm that will carry them throughout the day. For some people, it’s dedicating 30 minutes in the morning to reading with no distractions. Some entrepreneurs work out in the morning, as they find an hour of physical exercise first thing when they wake up is what they need to push through each day without a decrease in energy level.
7. Schedule personal time for yourself weekly.
Being an entrepreneur can completely consume you, causing one to focus 100 percent of his or her energy on the business. It’s not healthy to be completely caught up in your business, so make sure you set aside some time each week to do something completely unrelated to your business. Some suggestions include meditation, hiking, golfing, traveling or any other hobby or activity that allows you to disconnect from your business for a few hours every week. This keeps you fresh and full of motivation.
8. Remain positive.
Entrepreneurs are all programmed differently. What works to motivate one, might not essentially work for another. Regardless of what motivates you, it’s important that you remain positive along the way, no matter what obstacles are thrown in front of you. Not everyone gets to do what they love for a career, but if you play your cards right, you have the chance to live the entrepreneurial dream. There will be days you want to quit and situations that seem impossible to navigate around, but by remaining positive you will be able to channel your inner strength needed to reach the finish line.