How to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur
To stay motivated, you need to have short-term goals that you can achieve in a week or two. These small victories throughout the week will keep you motivated and help to reach your long-term goals.
Also, it’s important to write down your bigger goals where they will be visible as often as possible. This could be on a whiteboard or a note card on your computer screen. Seeing them written out helps remind you why they are important and makes them more real than just a thought in your head.
It’s also helpful if these written goals are specific and measurable because there is no room for interpretation. If something isn’t working out, it may need some tweaking instead of starting over from scratch with an entirely new idea.
Set some rules about your day.
Don’t set too many rules. It can be overwhelming to think about having to follow a bunch of rules every day, so it’s best to start small. You should also ensure that the rules you choose aren’t overly complicated or unrealistic. For example, don’t say you’ll go for a run every night at 6 pm and then watch Netflix instead because it seems easier than running in the evening. On the other hand, don’t make your goals so easy they have no meaning (like “I will wake up on time tomorrow morning.”)
Monitor your progress.
It’s important to monitor your progress, and there are a few ways you can do this. One option is keeping a journal, which should include information about your accomplishments and how they made you feel. Another option is creating goals and writing down how far along you are at reaching them. If you’re using either of these methods, it will be helpful to include the date so that they still have meaning when looking back on the entries later.
This step can also help prevent anxiety from creeping up on you when things don’t go as planned—meaning if something goes wrong or doesn’t happen like it should have by now: make sure that it doesn’t mess with your motivation.
Build an accountability team.
One of the most important things you can do to stay motivated as a business owner is to build an accountability team. This means selecting at least one other person who will hold you accountable for your goals and actions, whether completing a project on time or sticking to your diet. The key here is finding someone who will push you to do better and support you when times are tough.
The ideal candidate for this role would be someone who knows about your business but isn’t involved in day-to-day operations. For example, if you run an eCommerce store, choose a friend or family member who enjoys shopping online but doesn’t have direct experience with publishing products through platforms like Shopify or Amazon Seller Central (or whatever platform makes sense in your industry).
When choosing an accountability partner, it’s also important not to pick someone too similar. Two friends who both own businesses might prioritize making money over taking breaks from work since they understand what it takes financially to survive and thrive as entrepreneurs. On the other hand, two people with completely different lifestyles may meet weekly because they want support from each other while they pursue very different goals outside their 9-5 jobs.
Give yourself regular rewards for getting things done.
A great way to stay motivated is to give yourself regular rewards for getting things done. Rewards can be as simple as a cup of coffee or a walk in the park, but they should be something you enjoy and look forward to rather than just something good for you.
Take care of yourself.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to take care of yourself. You may have heard that one before, but what does it mean? It’s not enough to eat food and breathe air. You also have to maintain your mental health.
You can exercise regularly, eat healthy meals, and get enough sleep (7-8 hours per night).
The best way to combat burnout is by taking regular breaks from your work so you can recharge yourself physically and mentally.
Be passionate but realistic.
You don’t have to be a superhero to push yourself through a tough day, but it helps if you’re passionate about what you’re doing. Passion can be a powerful motivator, but only if it’s tempered with realism. If your goal is unrealistic or unattainable, it will only fuel anxiety and frustration. Instead of setting impossible goals for yourself on those days when nothing seems to go right (for example: “I want to be rich by the end of this year”), consider how far along in your progress toward your goal you’ve gotten so far (for example: “I made $4 today”). Then ask yourself how much more effort would go into reaching that goal to be attainable.
Once you’ve figured out whether or not there’s enough time left in the year for this particular business endeavor, take some time out of your schedule and enjoy something that makes you happy.
Learn from other entrepreneurs.
You can learn a lot about running a business from other entrepreneurs. Seek out mentors, read books and talk to people who have been there.
This is one of the best ways to stay motivated as an entrepreneur because it keeps you focused on your goal and makes you realize that you are not alone in this journey.
Ask for help when you need it.
Ask for help when you need it.
Yes, even if you’re the most confident person in the world, there will be times when you need a boost of motivation. For example, let’s say that your business is floundering, and it’s starting to feel like nothing is going right. It would be easy to throw in the towel right then—but instead of doing that, ask someone else for their advice. They’ll likely have some awesome ideas on how to get your business back on track (and they might even have some connections within their networks who’d be able to help). Plus, asking for help doesn’t mean admitting defeat; it can mean just the opposite: showing others that you’re willing to collaborate rather than working alone all day.
Just make sure that whoever gives advice knows what they are talking about. Don’t take advice from someone who hasn’t done what they’re advising against doing; otherwise, what do we know about their credibility? This applies especially when choosing mentors or advisors who may not understand exactly how things work yet but could still provide valuable insight into key points, such as marketing strategies or specific practices within closely related industries.
Remind yourself why you started in the first place.
Remind yourself why you started in the first place. This is a good way to check your motivation and remind yourself why this business is important to you. If you need help getting started, ask yourself these questions:
How has my business evolved?
What have I learned from starting my own business?
What have been some of my biggest successes so far? How did they happen (and what can I do to make them happen more often)?
What are some ways in which my business has changed since it began?