Zig Ziglar famously said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” How do you keep yourself motivated, day in and day out, no matter your mood, no matter what comes your way?
In this video, I explore how you, a business owner or entrepreneur, can keep your drive and push on.
What is motivation?
Motivation is defined as “a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.” Put simply; motivation determines WHY you do things that you do.
Why does the business owner start on the business in the first place? What is the business for? Many of you will say that the business is there to provide the owner with something. What that something is the what motivates you to get up each morning and work on your business. In business speak, your motivation is your WHY.
How do I keep myself motivated every single day?
Point 1: Have a North Star.
Simon Sinek says that motivation starts with your WHY. Sara Blakely also starts with WHY, and advises to continue leading with WHY.
Your WHY is your North Star. When things don’t work out or when you need to make important decisions for your business, remember and hold on to your North Star. Remember why you’re doing this in the first place.
In my video, Understanding your WHY—and why that matters (URL link forthcoming), I discuss why it matters for business owners and entrepreneurs to recognise their why. I also explore what determines our why and give examples of the more common whys that many business owners and entrepreneurs share.
Point 2: Be clear about what you want to achieve.
Lewis Carroll said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Once you establish your WHY, figure out how to translate that into a SMART goal. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
A SMART goal can sufficiently answer this question: How do I know that I have achieved what I want to achieve? In one of my videos, I discuss why SMART goals are important—in fact, the absence of SMART goals is one of the reasons why many business plans fail.
Point 3: Establish a routine.
Studies have shown that routines help everyone become more efficient, feel more in control, and supports overall well-being. More importantly, it helps keep one motivated by focusing on the things that you can change or have control. Routines are very important that many of the
world’s successful entrepreneurs and business executives have established morning routines and even evening rituals.
Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his mornings at 3:45 a.m., and Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and Indra Nooyi have been known to rise at the crack of dawn. Some entrepreneurs, like Warren Buffett, start their morning by reading.
Many successful entrepreneurs also have established evening routines. Bill Gates reads an hour before turning in at night, while Sheryl Sandberg turns off her mobile phone.
Establishing a routine also ensures that you make time to take care of yourself and recover from exhaustion, which is common among entrepreneurs. In my video, Overcome entrepreneurial exhaustion, I discuss the many ways that entrepreneurs and business owners can take care of themselves and recover from exhaustion to help them stay motivated.
So, in summary, what should we do to keep ourselves motivated?
Know why you do what you do. Have a North Star. Know what you want to achieve and how you are going to get there. Then establish a routine that will not only improve yourself but will bring you step-by-step closer to your SMART goal.
Just as Zig Ziglar said—just as we shower everyday to make sure that we don’t stink—we wake up with our purpose in mind, and we use that purpose to guide us throughout the day.
