Getting and staying motivated is vital, whether you’re striving to reach a business goal, starting a new venture, or managing the day-to-day operations of your business. Loss of motivation can chip away at your confidence and hurt your potential for success. The more motivated you are, the more forward-moving momentum you will create and the easier it will be to tackle ambitious goals and reach higher levels of success in your business.
Follow these tips to get motivated, climb out of the slump, and position yourself so you can reach each and every one of your targets.
1) Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
They say don’t compare your first chapter with somebody else’s 15th chapter. It’s impossible not to compare yourself to others. Even if you feel like a million bucks.
It will happen.
One day, you will be feeling like a rockstar and you get plenty done, and then bam, you get an email or hear a comment that destroys your self-confidence. Your mind goes into fear, guilt, resentment. You feel anxious. You convince yourself that you’re not good enough and nobody believes you. And you behave like you don’t deserve anything. You can’t stay motivated.
When you start comparing yourself to others, your mind goes to a dark zone, like a hidden cave and it gets lost. It’s a labyrinth and you have no idea how to get out. That’s a problem.
What you don’t realize when you’re comparing yourself to others is that you are not on the same chapter as them. Of course, there are people better than you and they are doing all those incredible things. We can’t hide that. But even those people who are better than you, they’ve had tons of downsides and rejections and lessons learned from the past 14 chapters.
You are just starting your story. You don’t have the same experiences as them. That doesn’t mean that you’re less amazing as them! It’s just that you are only starting so you shouldn’t expect all the things that are happening to them to just happen to you overnight.
You are amazing. Please say and write, “I am amazing”. There is a reason why you were born, the date you were born, the place where you were born, from the mother and father you were born. Claim your uniqueness and recognize your progress, removing all kinds of references of where you are supposed to be. That doesn’t exist. Everyone has their own journey.
2) Get Used To Feeling Uncomfortable
Finding your way to claim your success story feels scary since there is no written path that guarantees you’ll pass this class. Some days you feel like a rockstar and other days you feel like you’re at rock bottom.
I have good news and bad news for you. Which one do you want first?
I will start with the good news. The good news! You are not in school anymore. Big news! There’s no class you need to pass. You see? The adulting thing … remember when you were in high school and you wanted to turn 18 so badly to do whatever you want? Aha? That also included paying bills and you were SOOOO NOT ready! I wish I could turn the clock for you but we can’t. So we have to get used to certain things, even when they feel uncomfortable.
If you want to achieve success, you will have to take on greater than normal risks. This is why it feels scary; because it should be scary.
I personally think so many entrepreneurs lack planning for their long term goals. They are good at thinking about the short term. They set up themselves for disappointment because they simply have the wrong expectations. They mostly assume that things will go smooth and easy and when obstacles hit, they are not equipped adequately. They struggle with staying motivated.
If you find yourself with lack of motivation especially during difficult times, rather, learn to live with the anxiety that comes along with starting something new or the fear that will always be there when you are pushing out of your comfort zone. Feel those feelings but do it anyway.
Afraid to speak in public? Do it anyway. Afraid to get rejected? Ask anyway. Afraid to look terrible on camera? Do it anyway! What you’re not realizing is that- all those stories that you tell yourself- are only on your head. Nobody is thinking about that. This sounds terrible, but most people are just pursuing their own agenda. They are not thinking about you! So you just do the thing that scares you, even when you’re afraid and you will quickly realize “you’re not that bad”.
3) Stay Motivated Daily
I’m assuming you want to live a life full of joy. No boss. No limits. You control your schedule, the people you work for, and your financial goals are endless. Am I right? Maybe, maybe not. The answer will depend on what motivates YOU. If there is something we need to figure out is your desire.
Desire is a strong wish to do or have something.
It’s impossible to stay motivated as an entrepreneur if you don’t understand your desire. What takes you out of bed or turns on the fire alarm so you become unstoppable? What makes you work the extra mile?
And we aren’t talking about the desire to make money – everyone wants to be wealthy. What is your true desire? It could be the desire to give your kids a better life than you had, or to buy your parents a home. Maybe it’s the desire to travel the world and not worry about the cost. Perhaps you want to retire at 40 so that you can coach your kids in sports.
Motivation without desire is hollow. You might think you’re motivated, but you’re faking it. Once you discover your desire, you won’t have any trouble moving forward – even during rough patches.
How bad do you really want it? Motivate yourself every day. It is important to read, listen and watch motivational material. Feed your brain with stuff that inspires you. Surround yourself with anything that reminds you of why you have to keep trying.
A few things that help me:
- Making my bed as soon as I wake up. Makes me feel accomplished.
- Going to the gym before starting my work agenda. Makes me start with a fresh mindset.
- Take more breaks and naps during the day. Don’t miss to take your personal time.
- Keep my space organized. It helps me stay focused.
- Do a list of 6 things to complete each day. I love when it’s 1 pm and I’m almost done.
- Plan my days considering my energy budget.
- Soround myself with like minded people.
4) Adopt A Non-Quitting Strategy
More than intelligence or wealth, what separates the truly successful entrepreneurs from the rest is the fact that they never give up. They never give up no matter how they started or how many times they have failed in the past. We would not be enjoying Harry Potter, Disneyland or even Windows today if the founders decided to quit early on.
“Winners never quit and quitters never win.” – Vince Lombardi
Never giving up sounds so cliché, but the repetition is justified because it’s the only choice you have if you want to get ahead. To master this art, you have to form habits which will become a lifestyle.
People quit more often than they have to because they fail to be honest with themselves and everyone around them. Dishonesty builds walls around individuals and opportunities. Be honest with who you are, what you want and how you feel. If you need help, ask!
Do you really like the way your business is doing right now? Or do you pretend you like it because of what everyone around you expects? If you don’t, don’t be surprised when you find yourself exhausted and wanting to give up most of the time.
Every time you fail in doing something, remember that only your actions failed but you are not a failure. Be objective, examine why it didn’t work and find a way to make it better. As long as your heart is beating, there is always a chance to try one more time. Don’t take failure personally. You’re here for the long term and you have a big-picture mindset. You fall, you stand up.
I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 24 years old. Never looked back. I’ve seen it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. One thing that has kept me going when things get sour is the mindset. You gotta learn how to shift your mindset. Winners win; never quit.
If these ideas don’t successfully help you get you motivated, spend some time exploring what gets you excited and ready to get the work done. Everyone has a trigger that will push them into productive mode. It may take a little trial and error to find, but it is there if you take the time to look.
Find me on Instagram! If you’re in Austin, check my upcoming events.
Jessica Campos, BBA, JD
Jessica Campos Social Media Marketing trainer, author, recovered attorney passionate about Forensic Marketing and Social Media Marketing. Jessica is known for breaking the record as the first Hispanic woman reaching the highest rank with Beachbody and helping thousands of individuals achieving physical and financial success. Her success systems took her to start her own Marketing Agency and her own Tribe of Professionals & Entrepreneurs. Austin’s #1 Networking Happy Hour.
