Staying Motivated: Four Simple Steps
You've been there right? Those days when you feel as if nothing is going right and you're just stuck in a rut, with no motivation to do anything but give up. You feel totally over it and the excitement that you once had has gone AWOL.
While these feelings don't last forever and will eventually pass, what matters most is what you do in the meantime to get back on track!
If the smallest stretch of stagnation kills your motivation, don't worry, you're not alone! Everyone who goes into entrepreneurship has moments when they hear crickets and face a few setbacks.
There are many reasons for feeling discouraged - from lack of finances or fear of failure all the way up to more serious personal issues that can affect your ability (or willingness) to work towards success.
A few years ago, right after I left the 9-5 grind, I was in the same situation as you probably are now: feeling so stuck and overwhelmed that my motivation just disappeared. I was excited about starting my new business, but the constant roadblocks left me feeling completely uninspired. What got me back on track is these tips I'm about to give you.
So, firstly, I am here to remind you to lift your head up and keep going.
It's time to show them what you're made of. Because.....
The world NEEDS your magic.
So, If you're feeling a little unmotivated... I got you.
The good news is there's always something you can do when it feels hard! Whether you're just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey, getting back into things after taking some time off because of an injury/illness, or have been working full-time as an entrepreneur but need help staying focused, these tips will help you stay motivated and cultivate the right mindset to power through, even when things are feeling a little...meh.
1. Half of success is in how you think, and the other half is what you do.
When I first started this business, I thought that all this "limiting beliefs" and "money blocks" stuff was all a bit woo-woo. I knew all about it in my personal life, but when it came to business, I thought that mindset work was a fancy form of fluff until I realized that it really is the key to success.... in every area of your life.
As I started to battle my own beliefs and mindset blocks, I saw how much these were hindering the growth of my business.
I only truly began to see just how big a role these played in limiting me when I started coaching other people.
No matter how epic their websites were… how amazing their product was, or how engaging their social media posts were, I was seeing women lose their motivation because of negative self-talk, mindset blocks and limiting beliefs.
Regardless of how much you are motivated to create a successful business, negative thoughts, lack of self-belief or fear can stop your progress in an instant.
These feelings have a tendency to sneak up on us all and leave us feeling like an imposter; paralysed, unmotivated and stuck.
It is important to identify and unpack your limiting beliefs, so you can move past them. Instead of letting them consume you with fear and disbelief, find new empowering beliefs to replace the old ones.
My favourite one lately... You can do hard things.
I've done a billion hard and scary things in my life. I don't know why I ever even imagined that sometimes I couldn't.
Ugh, brains.
2. Your Why is the reason you keep going when everything is telling you to quit.
When you're feeling discouraged on your entrepreneurial journey, ask yourself: Why am I doing this?
Why are you doing what you do?
It doesn’t have to be deep, it can be global or very personal but it does need to be meaningful to you. It should inspire and fuel you on the journey. It should make you feel alllll the feelings.
Is it empowering women who grew up like you? Is it creating a future where there are fewer disadvantaged children? Being a parent that your kids can be proud of?
Having a strong and inspiring reason for doing what you do will help to keep you motivated even when faced with adversity.
Tip...I find the most powerful ones are the ones that impact others.... I want a million dollars is not strong why. Think outside of yourself. 😉
3. Small steps add up to big things.
Unrealistic expectations are one of the quickest ways to derail a goal and decrease motivation.
To avoid this, break down your big goals into smaller ones with specific daily targets.
*cough* Free goal setting worksheets *cough*
For example, if you have one huge overwhelming project such as creating a course on everything that you know….instead make it easier by breaking it up into smaller chunks.
You just have to create one unit a month…one module a week.... or one worksheet a day.
And after 10 weeks, you will have it done.... see, wasn't so hard, was it? Much less overwhelming right?
As long as you do these smaller, bite-sized tasks, you are sweet. It doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy. But it will be manageable.
Breaking these big objectives down into manageable pieces makes things much more realistic and you're far less likely to get discouraged along the way because there is no longer any overwhelming feeling looming over your head!
Moving on....
4. Success is a series of small wins.
It is often easy to get wrapped up in the future and forget how far you have come. Celebrate your wins - don't let them go unnoticed!
Take time out to appreciate what you've done so far, even when looking towards a new goal ahead; it's important not to lose sight of all that has been achieved.
Our quarterly planner has space at the back for keeping track of all of your achievements. You can check it out here.
Whenever I feel unmotivated or stuck, I take a step back and revisit these 4 things:
Where is my mind? (Way out in the water?)... I notice any limiting beliefs, so I can move through them quickly and replace them if necessary...
When I am still feeling anxious, stuck, or stressed out, I revisit my ‘Why’...
Next, I look at my plan for achieving my goals... if it's too overwhelming or too difficult, I break it down and re-prioritize.
How far have I come? Come on, look at how much you've learned... you're KILLING IT.
Before you go, let me know what your ‘Why’ is to stay motivated below, you never know, it might inspire someone who really needs it.
