Motivating yourself for success

With so many of us deciding to take the solo route, becoming self-employed or entrepreneurs, it is vital we find ways to motivate ourselves, because often there is no one else to do this for you. But there is more to self-motivation than getting out of bed in the morning and sitting down at your desk, ready for work. You must look at virtually every aspect of your life.

A self-motivation regime

The first step to ensuring you can succeed at your business, or indeed any project, such as weight loss, is to be someone who has a healthy body and mind. How can you hope to succeed if you are constantly stressed and feeling ill? Therefore, it is essential you set aside exercise time to keep yourself physically fit, but perhaps more importantly, that you have quiet moments when you can clear your mind and then reflect on your needs and goals.

photo TheAndrasBarta Pixabay

Admittedly, it can be difficult to find the strength to keep motivating oneself, day after day. It is at these difficult, trying times that it can be helpful to have a friend or mentor to talk to, someone who perhaps has been where you are and knows how to pull out of a motivational decline. Some people may find their motivation lies within their faith system, in which instance it can be helpful to explore a wider community of like-minded individuals through online portals, such as faith-based forums and publications like the Christian Bruderhof. This kind of networking can provide substantial benefits, as it can be hugely uplifting to be surrounded, even virtually, by people who give out positive vibes. Surround yourself with negative naysayers and you will soon find your motivation slipping.

In regards to goals, you should make these very clear to yourself. In this way, you will know exactly what you are trying to achieve, and know when you have achieved it! However, it is important to set realistic goals for yourself, ones you know you can achieve when based on your past performance, current ability and time allowances. Nothing will demotivate you more than setting yourself a goal that is unachievable. Such goals need not only be long-term, either. Often, an achievable daily goal will provide plenty of motivation for you to move onto your next one. Long-term goals may require more commitment, such as enrolling on a training program so that you acquire a qualification, enabling you to expand your business or be awarded a degree.

Following on from working toward a goal is rewarding yourself when you have achieved one. You would expect a boss to say ‘Well done’ if you did well at work, so why not give yourself a pat on the back when you achieve something pretty darn incredible. Rewards need not be expensive. They could simply be a trip to a local coffee shop and a slice of your favorite cake, a purchase you wanted to make but could not justify, or even taking the afternoon off and playing a round of golf.

Self-motivation is essential when treading a path alone, but it is comforting to know that as well as the tips and tricks you can personally employ to attain your objectives, there are also communities, both offline and online, who will help with positive encouragement.