Business Success Key: Self-Motivation

As business owners we know all too well that generating and maintaining a daily self-motivation is the driving force behind the success and growth of our businesses. Being able to motivate and drive yourself to continually do what needs to be done every day, whether you want to or not, is the primary reason why so few succeed and so many fail.

Motivation is the driving inspiration that everyone needs to make it through the day and do what needs to be done. It allows us to complete everyday tasks, as well as set and achieve our chosen goals. If it weren’t for the proper motivation, you wouldn’t get up from your desk to go to the bathroom or to get a cup of coffee. The motivation to accomplish these tasks is generated by either your sub-conscious brain signaling you that your bladder is full and action needs to be taken or your conscious mind deciding that a cup of coffee would taste good and be pleasurable right now. The simple fact is that without motivation nothing would get done, your business would fail and you would be sitting in a puddle of urine with no coffee.

“Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.” ~ Les Brown

Motivation is defined as the process that initiates and guides us to move forward and achieve our goals. Whether our goal is to simply get a cup of coffee or to create a Fortune 500 company. Having the proper motivation is what keeps us focused and working towards completing the task at hand.

When it comes to self-motivation there are many factors that play a role in how well you can motivate yourself to take action. Some of these are things like, your general attitude, the people you spend time with, and the things you focus your attention on.

Let’s quickly go over a few simple techniques that you can use to help overcome those times when you are lacking the internal motivation you need to get done whatever needs doing.

Choose a Specific Goal
Focus your attention on one specific goal at a time. Then determine all of the steps and tasks you are going to have to take to achieve that goal. By taking the time to focus on one goal at a time and clearly outlining the tasks that you need to achieve it you will attain clear direction and be better able to keep moving forward.

Find Inspiration: The Why
Inspiration is one of the best motivators you can have, especially when it comes to pursuing your business goals. When you’re feeling less than motivated to complete the task at hand it’s important to remind yourself of what you’re trying to achieve and more importantly WHY you are trying to achieve it. By focusing on the WHY you can often re-motivate yourself to reach your objectives.

Focus on the Benefits
When it comes to goals and objectives that will take longer to accomplish the why is even more important to maintaining your motivation. Trying to stay focused on long-term goals can be challenging as your initial enthusiasm is fleeting, especially when you do not see any immediate results or feedback. When this happens it’s important to remind yourself of the reasons behind these long-term goals as well the benefits you will receive when you reach it. This will help sustain your focus and motivation long enough to accomplish the
necessary tasks needed to reach your goal.

Sharing Your Goals
Share your goals with those around you*. The peer pressure of having others know and remind you of your goals can often be enough to help get you through those times where you lack the motivation you need to keep going.
* BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE. Even though it can be powerful to have an external motivator such as this, always be VERY careful to only share your goals with those people whom you know will support you. Even a loving and well-meaning comment such as, “Maybe you should just give up on that business and get a job.” can have a devastating sub-conscious psychological affect on you. Comments such as this, although typically uttered from a caring heart, are rooted in ignorance and encased with the sub-conscious desire of the person making them that you not change and become too different than the person they know.

Power Through Setbacks
While no one likes a setback it’s important to be realistic and understand that there will be times when you are unable to accomplish a certain task or reach your goals in a timely manner. Remember this timeless quote from Napoleon Hill, “Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit”. Every setup is worth it as long as you learn from it and keep moving forward.

Learning to accept and work through setbacks is a tough lesson for any business owner. Just keep in mind that a setback is only a temporary adversity, failure only occurs when you give up.

Self-motivation is not always easy to generate or to maintain. At times, getting and staying sufficiently motivated to accomplish anything can be very challenging, especially on a consistant basis. It is important that we learn how to get ourselves motivated and focused on achieving our goals even when we are lacking the initiative to get started or to follow through.

I hope these tips may help you toward achieving all you desire.