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Ten Tips for Motivating Yourself
By Miki Fairley  Your employees are motivated and
hardworking. Your business is humming. But you're hitting a slump.
Sometimes it's not enough to motivate your people; at times you may
have to motivate yourself too.
How important is motivation? Nancy Wurtzel, in her online
article, "The Seven Keys to Motivation," points out that
virtually every aspect of human life, from the mundane to the
life-changing, is guided, swayed, and altered by motivating
factors. "Motivation is one of the most powerful driving forces in
the workplace," she says. "It can mean the difference between
tremendous success and failure." She adds, "However, humans are
unique, so what motivates Jack will not necessarily motivate Jill.
You--only you--will be able to determine what works."
Here are some tips compiled from small-business websites to help
you jump-start your own motivation.
1. Think about your purpose or goals for starting and
continuing your business. Set your goals--both short-term
and long-term. "If you didn't set goals, you would be adrift with
nothing to strive for and no charted course to follow," says
Wurtzel. "How could you possibly be motivated if you were unsure
about the direction of your company?"
2. Write a business plan, if you haven't
already. "A business plan may sound daunting," says
Wurtzel, "but it is really nothing more than goals, strategies,
implementation, and a budget. Write your own business plan and
update it at least annually...Written goals will make you feel more
professional and certainly more connected to your business. It will
also free you from having to reinvent your business goals every
single day."
3. Realize you will have less productive days.
Roll with it, advises Susan Scheid, Small Biz Community LLC ( www.smallbizcommunity.com). "Chances are, when
you find yourself with business block,' you'll soon have a period
in which you're so filled with ideas you'll make up for the lack of
ideas previously."
4. Reward yourself. Your motivation will start
to fade if you never take a break from the demands of running a
business. This doesn't have to be a trip to Hawaii; it can be as
simple as lunch with an old friend, taking your kids to the zoo, or
enjoying a round of golf. And try not to let your mind dwell on
your business while you're doing these things!
5. Take care of your health. Along with
rewarding yourself, these website advisers also stress staying
healthy through exercise, enough sleep, and a nutritious diet. "A
good business owner needs to be able to think quickly and analyze
his or her procedures," says Scheid. "And that requires plenty of
sleep and a good diet. Making your health a priority helps keep
your business mind focused and alert."
6. Read motivational books and listen to
audiotapes. They are best sellers because they work, the
website writers note. "By reading these books, you will not only
learn from others, but the story will motivate you to move ahead
with your plans," says P.T. Cheng ( www.howtoadvice.com).
7. Get organized. "Organization is critical to
motivation," says Wurtzel. "How can you feel good about your work
when you can't find important papers or you are constantly late
returning messages?" She recommends getting help if necessary to
clean up clutter, and then to develop business systems to
streamline your operations. "&if you use your organizational
systems, you'll be free to think about other important issues."
8. Network. Supportive friends and colleagues
can be a helpful forum in helping find solutions to problems, and a
sympathetic ear can work wonders.
9. Try something new. "Try adding a new product
or service, create a unique brochure, or speak in a seminar,"
Scheid encourages. "Whatever you can do to add a sense of novelty
to your business will get you more excited about your projects and
help motivate you to do more."
10. Keep the momentum going. "Take the time to
examine your motivating factors and use some of these keys to
improve your focus and renew your enthusiasm," urges Wurtzel.
Cheng believes that intrinsic motivation is far more effective
than extrinsic motivation. "Intrinsic motivation is like
fulfillment, satisfaction, sense of achievement, and enjoyment. If
your motivation is only to make more money, in which money is an
extrinsic motivation, your success will not last long. I'd advise
you to focus on the intrinsic motivation for your long-lasting
success." 
Table Of Contents - November 2005
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