Stop Asking How to Stay Motivated in Your Business

Let’s get real – motivation comes in waves. There are days where you are fueled by the mere thought of success and reaching your goals, and somehow the next 24 hours can have you feeling like curling up in a ball doing nothing. So you start to ask, “how can I stay motivated in my business?” But is the problem really that your motivation suddenly went out the window?

Let’s talk about it.

When you’re running a business, you often have to wear a lot of different hats, and “cheerleader” is definitely one of them! Of course you want to do your best and push yourself forward in your business but honestly, it’s not always that easy. Life happens, and even entrepreneurship, with its ups and downs can get a little monotonous at times, making it difficult to keep that motivation and momentum going strong.

Over the years of running my business, I’ve found that in those hot and cold moments, the question “how can I stay motivated” wasn’t actually the question I needed to be asking at all.

Because, well, I was always motivated.

Motivated to make money, motivated to make a difference, motivated to create impact and definitely motivated to work for myself doing something I felt called to do. I’m sure you feel the same way. It’s not like you suddenly aren’t motivated to do those things, right? That isn’t what’s lacking. If anything you might even have a surplus of motivation on your hands!

So… the next time you are riding the struggle bus to get things done and you start asking yourself how you can stay motivated, I want you to ask yourself this instead: “What is my business missing?” Like, really missing? 

 

 

It’s Not Motivation You’re Missing In Your Business 

I know it’s easy to blame your problems on a lack of motivation but babe, I promise it’s the other things you’re missing that are getting in the way! Be upfront and honest with yourself and think about the areas you are struggling with the most. Are there certain patterns you can see in the tasks you’re putting off? What about identifying specific emotions that come up every time you go to do XYZ? These are your red flags!

The good thing is, when you take time to be intentional about what your business is missing it gives you the opportunity to create a plan on how to build those things in. You can see where the holes are that are keeping you small and start to fill them in with purpose.

Let’s get to the bottom of this!

 

Ask Yourself: What is My Business Missing? 

Time to take inventory by looking at the list below. Get specific with which area you are needing most right now to feel like you have the things you need to build momentum towards your goals.

Missing Accountability?

Think:

• Carving out space with a Biz Bestie to share goals each month via Zoom or a Coffee date
• Hiring a Business Coach (like, me for instance *wink wink*) to create timelines and deadlines alongside you
• Incorporating a reward program for yourself for when you achieve certain goals/complete big tasks

 

Missing Systems?

Think:

• Prioritizing your workday by knowing which tasks come first and what can wait, understanding the impact your after
• Creating a stress free schedule to batch content (check this video out) for social media, emails, blog posts and more
• Subscribing to a business management tool like Dubsado (this is what I use!) or Honeybook to streamline scheduling, client relationships, onboarding etc.
• Planning intentional time to unplug and step away in your business

 

Missing Processes?

Think: 

• Signing up for a project management tool like Asana (it’s my favorite tool!) or Trello to create workflows in your business to capture every step you take
• Building folders out in places like Canva or Google Drive to make life easier with titles and categories for everything
• Hiring an operations assistant or a Virtual Assistant to help establish SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for your business

 

Missing Support?

Think:

• Opening up to your spouse, parents or best friend about your goals and struggles
• Enrolling in a Mastermind Group to ask questions and share intimate pieces to your business with
• Hiring a Virtual Assistant or outsourcing other roles in your business to take things off your plate
• Listening to a favorite podcast or two that speak on topics that help elevate you + your business (like this one, or this one)

 

Missing Organization?

Think:

• Establishing a weekly routine with a plan for personal + business
• Cleaning up your digital files to make things easier to find when you need them
• Creating a specific space for your business at home, even if it’s a small closet or corner devoted just to your work

 

Missing Community?

Think:

• Joining Facebook Groups that are specific to your industry and level of business to meet likeminded creatives
• Attending local chapters of Tuesdays Together, Creative Mornings or other local in-person gatherings
• Becoming a part of monthly membership to learn from other business owners and grow together like the Empowered for Profit Collective

Keep in mind, these are just a few examples of the categories I find come up the most often for creatives. You may come up with a few other examples of areas you are missing in your own business that have been masquerading as a lack of motivation.

 

 

If You Want to See Growth, Then You’ve Got to Dig

The growth you want for your business is sometimes just being kept down in the weeds. You have to be willing to get down and dirty and dig around to find the good stuff that needs nurturing to bloom! Your dream is the good stuff and I promise, it’s worth asking the hard questions and challenging yourself to admit what you need that’s going to get you where you want to be.

So let’s agree that the next time you feel like asking “how do I stay motivated in my business?”, you’ll ask yourself what’s really going on instead? Is there something else that needs your attention- something you’re craving and just haven’t put the work towards implementing or building into your business just yet? There is no shame in identifying these things, it just shows you where the possibilities and opportunities are for bigger and better things ahead!

If you read through this post and identified an area your business is missing that you know has been holding you back, but you’re not quite sure what to do next I am here to help! As in, this is literally the bread and butter of what I love to do most as a coach for creative businesses. Each week I offer a limited amount of Free 30 Minute Connection Calls and I’d love to invite you to get on my calendar so we can talk about what your business is missing and how to make sure you don’t go another day without it!

Let’s get real – motivation comes in waves. There are days where you are fueled by the mere thought of success and reaching your goals, and somehow the next 24 hours can have you feeling like curling up in a ball doing nothing. So you start to ask, “how can I stay motivated in my business?” But is the problem really that your motivation suddenly went out the window?

Let’s talk about it.

When you’re running a business, you often have to wear a lot of different hats, and “cheerleader” is definitely one of them! Of course you want to do your best and push yourself forward in your business but honestly, it’s not always that easy. Life happens, and even entrepreneurship, with its ups and downs can get a little monotonous at times, making it difficult to keep that motivation and momentum going strong.

Over the years of running my business, I’ve found that in those hot and cold moments, the question “how can I stay motivated” wasn’t actually the question I needed to be asking at all.

Because, well, I was always motivated.

Motivated to make money, motivated to make a difference, motivated to create impact and definitely motivated to work for myself doing something I felt called to do. I’m sure you feel the same way. It’s not like you suddenly aren’t motivated to do those things, right? That isn’t what’s lacking. If anything you might even have a surplus of motivation on your hands!

So… the next time you are riding the struggle bus to get things done and you start asking yourself how you can stay motivated, I want you to ask yourself this instead: “What is my business missing?” Like, really missing? 

 

 

It’s Not Motivation You’re Missing In Your Business 

I know it’s easy to blame your problems on a lack of motivation but babe, I promise it’s the other things you’re missing that are getting in the way! Be upfront and honest with yourself and think about the areas you are struggling with the most. Are there certain patterns you can see in the tasks you’re putting off? What about identifying specific emotions that come up every time you go to do XYZ? These are your red flags!

The good thing is, when you take time to be intentional about what your business is missing it gives you the opportunity to create a plan on how to build those things in. You can see where the holes are that are keeping you small and start to fill them in with purpose.

Let’s get to the bottom of this!

 

Ask Yourself: What is My Business Missing? 

Time to take inventory by looking at the list below. Get specific with which area you are needing most right now to feel like you have the things you need to build momentum towards your goals.

Missing Accountability?

Think:

• Carving out space with a Biz Bestie to share goals each month via Zoom or a Coffee date
• Hiring a Business Coach (like, me for instance *wink wink*) to create timelines and deadlines alongside you
• Incorporating a reward program for yourself for when you achieve certain goals/complete big tasks

 

Missing Systems?

Think:

• Prioritizing your workday by knowing which tasks come first and what can wait, understanding the impact your after
• Creating a stress free schedule to batch content (check this video out) for social media, emails, blog posts and more
• Subscribing to a business management tool like Dubsado (this is what I use!) or Honeybook to streamline scheduling, client relationships, onboarding etc.
• Planning intentional time to unplug and step away in your business

 

Missing Processes?

Think: 

• Signing up for a project management tool like Asana (it’s my favorite tool!) or Trello to create workflows in your business to capture every step you take
• Building folders out in places like Canva or Google Drive to make life easier with titles and categories for everything
• Hiring an operations assistant or a Virtual Assistant to help establish SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for your business

 

Missing Support?

Think:

• Opening up to your spouse, parents or best friend about your goals and struggles
• Enrolling in a Mastermind Group to ask questions and share intimate pieces to your business with
• Hiring a Virtual Assistant or outsourcing other roles in your business to take things off your plate
• Listening to a favorite podcast or two that speak on topics that help elevate you + your business (like this one, or this one)

 

Missing Organization?

Think:

• Establishing a weekly routine with a plan for personal + business
• Cleaning up your digital files to make things easier to find when you need them
• Creating a specific space for your business at home, even if it’s a small closet or corner devoted just to your work

 

Missing Community?

Think:

• Joining Facebook Groups that are specific to your industry and level of business to meet likeminded creatives
• Attending local chapters of Tuesdays Together, Creative Mornings or other local in-person gatherings
• Becoming a part of monthly membership to learn from other business owners and grow together like the Empowered for Profit Collective

Keep in mind, these are just a few examples of the categories I find come up the most often for creatives. You may come up with a few other examples of areas you are missing in your own business that have been masquerading as a lack of motivation.

 

 

If You Want to See Growth, Then You’ve Got to Dig

The growth you want for your business is sometimes just being kept down in the weeds. You have to be willing to get down and dirty and dig around to find the good stuff that needs nurturing to bloom! Your dream is the good stuff and I promise, it’s worth asking the hard questions and challenging yourself to admit what you need that’s going to get you where you want to be.

So let’s agree that the next time you feel like asking “how do I stay motivated in my business?”, you’ll ask yourself what’s really going on instead? Is there something else that needs your attention- something you’re craving and just haven’t put the work towards implementing or building into your business just yet? There is no shame in identifying these things, it just shows you where the possibilities and opportunities are for bigger and better things ahead!

If you read through this post and identified an area your business is missing that you know has been holding you back, but you’re not quite sure what to do next I am here to help! As in, this is literally the bread and butter of what I love to do most as a coach for creative businesses. Each week I offer a limited amount of Free 30 Minute Connection Calls and I’d love to invite you to get on my calendar so we can talk about what your business is missing and how to make sure you don’t go another day without it!