How to motivate yourself
As a self-employed person, what do you do when that 'get up and go' deserts you? Here are some techniques to rejuvenate your motivation. Have you ever got to the stage when you ask yourself, 'Why do I bother?' or think enviously of people in cushy jobs? We all do. We forget the stress and frustration of working for a large organisation and that cushy jobs are usually unrewarding in every sense. So how do you recharge your entrepreneurial batteries when they get low? Go back to basics. Take a moment to jot down the benefits you perceive for yourself of working the way you do. Is it for status or money and what you think it will buy that appeals to your most? Or do you just like to be in control of your life and your opportunities? List these positive factors on a large piece of paper and stick them on your wall. Then when Monday dawns and you'd rather stay in bed, your list will remind you why you should make the effort. Keep your goals in sight. It is hard to climb a hill in the dark. You can't see how far there is to go; nor can you enjoy the satisfaction of seeing how far you have come already. So create another two charts: one with your succinct, short, medium and long-term goals (What am I doing it for?); the other with your tasks or objectives this month (What are the next few steps to get there? What have I achieved recently?). Have faith. Lack of confidence, often a result of negative opinions and childhood conditioning expressed in negative phrases: 'I couldn't', I don't know how' is a big energy drainer. So start by talking positively: 'I can, I'll learn.' Fear of failure is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. But looked at another way, it is simply a bad result. So there are no failures, only results. Work through what you've learned from your bad results. Build your confidence. Develop self-belief. Success doesn't always go to the strongest person, but to the person with the greatest conviction. After all, most tennis players who make it to Wimbledon have the skills to win - ultimate success is in the mind. People are often terrified by rejection and so they feel that it is better not to try than to be humiliated. But then again remember that old saying: nothing ventured nothing gained. Don't dilly-dally. Procrastination is a symptom of fear. A perfectionist cannot face doing an adequate but less than perfect job, so there is always some reason not to start. If you feel overwhelmed by a daunting task, divide it up into chunks, then just get started on the first one. Look to the future. If you don't have a vision of the future it can often seem like what you are doing in the present is pointless. Use picture power or imagination to 'fix' your goals. Have you ever seen something in a shop window and longed for it? It is easier to visualise having something that you can see, so visualise the result you want. Savour the emotions you will feel when (not if) you land that order. Collect pictures that summarise these emotions - your dream house, boat, car or holiday - and pin these over your desk to remind yourself why you are doing it all. Also write down why you want to do something, even if the reasons hardly seem valid. Something as simple as 'I want a clear desk so I don't have to start the day in a mess' is valid. Clean it up tonight and start tomorrow afresh. Have a plan. Assess, plan, act. Write a plan for yourself, both in business and personal terms. Set tough but realistic objectives with time scales. We all react positively to these. Compile a record of past successes. Buy a coil-bound notebook and fill it with tasks - one per page - that you wish to do. For each, promise yourself a token treat as a reward. As you complete a task, take your reward, tear out the page and keep it somewhere safe. When you feel you are achieving nothing, review your sheets to remind yourself what you have achieved! Tell people what you are going to do - it will make you feel still more committed. Home alone. If you work alone, identify an understanding person with whom you can talk through business issues and who will encourage you. A mentor can help here. Be kind to yourself. Worry and stress, tiredness, over work and lack of energy can often start a vicious cycle of demotivation and even ill health. Give yourself a break. Give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it for having the strength of character to go out and make things happen!