Ten Tips for Motivating Yourself

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."

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