There are many reasons that you don’t believe in yourself. Certainly we all have doubts, but many of us have experienced traumatic events in our lives that undermine our ability to believe in ourselves. Loveless upbringing. Bullying in school. Business failures. Marriage infidelity. Loss of a significant mentor. Discrimination. Learning disabilities. Rejection. And at the same time the world is becoming more competitive.

The generations have sure evolved through the ages. Gone are the days when parents endlessly coax adults to study and perform well. Gone is the era where competition was simple and generic. Less frequent are the times when you had teachers saying you can do better.

Today’s world is cut-throat. The only one pushing you, the only one motivating you, and the only one who believes in your capabilities, is You.

Everyone is busy running in the rat race, competing for first place. You can’t rely on others for direction. It is time to become self-sufficient and self-actualized. You don’t have to give up hope just because others don’t believe you can achieve it. You only have to believe in yourself.

This simple mantra has taken those who were absolutely nobody and made them into not just somebody but prominent figures who made history.

I’ll share….

Do you know that when Christiano Ronaldo, one of the best footballers of this generation, was a young boy, he told his father that they’d be rich and have a big home? To this, his father said it wasn’t possible. He wasn’t discouraging his son, but he simply didn’t believe that their hard time would change.

However, Christiano believed, not just for himself but his parents too. And today, he is one of the most regarded sportspeople in the world.

Personally, I was raised in a family with strife. My father was an abusive alcoholic and my mother died at my father’s hands when I was five. I pretty much raised myself and was faced with just about every obstacle you can imagine. But as a teen I began to get a glimpse of possibilities for my life. I started to get self development. I surrounded myself with positive people and over time was lifted from negative influences. I worked hard and grew my business and it was acquired by a publicly-held company. Then I became a business coach and have the best job in the world, coaching an amazing group of business owners!

Similarly, our esteemed tech geniuses and entrepreneurs such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and our personal favorite, Steve Jobs, had people doubting their capabilities from an early age. But that did not stop them. If anything, it motivated them to believe in themselves and try harder every day.

The problem is….

We all try on a daily basis. We fight for everything (No, not with our fists). We fight to survive, we fight for a better future, and we fight for our dreams. But too often, we hit a wall. Failure rears its ugly head, and we stop believing in our capabilities and become disheartened by the non-results.

However, this is the time when you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and hustle even harder. As I said, if no one else believes in you, you have to believe in yourself. This is not the time to give up. It is time to find a new way to achieve your dreams. You cannot stop till you reach your destination.

If you find it too difficult to contemplate a rational method to reach your goals, let us help you. There are a few things you can instill in yourself no matter your age, your annual income, or your life stage. Start now and watch as your life transforms into what you know you truly deserve.

Proven methods to learn how to believe in yourself and achieve success

1. Start by internalizing the mantra – I believe I can

 It all starts with you.

In order to achieve your goals, find success, and live the lifestyle you know deep inside that you truly deserve, the first step is to believe in yourself.

There is no abundance of naysayers in this world. Everyone wants success, but they don’t want to see other people succeed, making them your worst critics. But it is up to you to internalize self-confidence and believe in yourself. It is the only way you will achieve what you set your mind to accomplish.

 Do you think success stories are made with ease? No.

Everyone wants success, but not everyone can have it. But the ones who did, must have tried at least a little harder than the rest, don’t you think?

If you fall prey to everyone’s expert opinion, it won’t yield results. J.K. Rowling got rejected multiple times before she published Harry Potter. Had she listened to the cynics, today, we wouldn’t have such an extraordinary tale of a child wizard.

If you have an idea or simply want to achieve something big, then you need to become your own cheerleader. Start by standing in front of a mirror and telling yourself, ‘I can do it. It is all up to me.’ Which really is the truth about achieving anything in this world. It’s not just about working hard but working smart.

When you are self-actualized and believe in yourself, no amount of critics, cynics, and pessimists can change your mind. Your drive and your motivation come from within you; therefore, no one can deter you from the path of success.

2. Make a defined list of your goals.

Now, to believe in yourself doesn’t mean that things will just fall into your lap. You have to believe in yourself that you can do it and then put in the work as well.

That’s step two.

Start by analyzing your ultimate goal. Then identify the things that you need to do in order to achieve those goals. Don’t try to set high goals at the initial stages. Remember, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ Neither will be your life.

Here’s a suggestion. Set smaller goals.

 For instance, if you wish to have a million dollars in your bank account by the end of ten years, then perhaps you need to focus on how you can achieve that. Break down the time period into smaller frames. Set short-term goals such as saving at least ten thousand dollars for the first year. Maybe you need to pick up some extra shifts or take up additional freelance work, cut down your expenses, and perhaps tighten your belt a little.

You must realize that short-term sacrifices result in long-term gains. You might feel that this is impossible, but that is why you need to believe in yourself. Believe that you can make these sacrifices and yield the long-term payout.

This concept is transferable no matter what your goals are. If your goal is to be entrepreneurial, then make a list of short-term and long-term challenges and take them one step at a time. If your goal is to become physically fit, then make a list of what sacrifices and challenges you need to overcome on a daily basis.

There is a trick that all successful people use. Write down your short-term goals and paste them either in front of your bed to remind you of your objectives every morning or the place where you spend time working on your goals. Tell others (not the naysayers), tell successful people about your goals. This will motivate you to keep trying harder, and eventually, you will learn to believe in yourself that you can do it.

3. Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Everyone has a specific set of strengths and weaknesses. No two people are built the same; therefore, what works for your friend need not necessarily work for you. You need to identify your own strengths and weaknesses and work on yourself.

Most people tend to get disheartened because they identify their weaknesses as something that they cannot overcome. Although this might be a valid concern in several cases, it is still not a reason to give up.

Instead of focusing on your weakness, try to concentrate on your strengths and how you can capitalize on them. It is human nature to lose perspective when passion and devotion are challenging each other.

 To understand this, let us demonstrate with an example.

 Let’s say you studied engineering for years because you identified it as one of the best career options. You may be working really hard at it too, but success always seems just out of your arm’s reach because you are not good at programming.

The sky doesn’t necessarily need to fall. You see, the problem is you are trying to dedicate your life to something that you don’t enjoy, nor does it drive you. Your weakness in the field is making you feel small and incompetent, thereby causing you to ignore your strengths.

It is our society that declared Engineering as the best profession. But aren’t there successful people around the world pursuing other fields?

You need to identify your strengths and develop them. Maybe you are good at organizing and strategizing business plans. You need to believe in yourself that you can do it. Start your own company. Formal education doesn’t account for developing certain life skills. Your innate talents are what needs your attention, and developing your strengths will not only help you believe in yourself and your abilities but also bring you the success you crave.

4. Improve your skillset

Your skills, much like that of technology and world education, know no bounds. In order to know that you can be the best, to believe in yourself, you need to always keep learning.

You may have the best body of work, or maybe you are a high-functioning programmer, or perhaps your real estate constructions have been featured in Architectural Digest. That doesn’t mean you can stop learning.

When you want to believe in yourself that you can achieve your goals because you are the best at something, you have to be the best at it. Not saying that you need to enroll back in college or spend hours reading new books on the subject but consider taking a little time to learn about new developments with respect to the skills.

The internet is a cornucopia of information. Take the time to enroll in an online class that you can engage in as per your schedule. Or read the numerous articles on the topic and practice implementing them by yourself.

The more you develop your skillset, the more you believe in yourself. Your self-confidence will improve exponentially, and you will find success no matter what.

5. No matter who challenges you, just do what you think is right

Remember what I said about naysayers?

People will always tell you what is wrong with your plans and your abilities. But if you believe in yourself and in what you know is right, then stand by your conviction.

A lot of people told Jack Ma that he would amount to nothing. They told Jeff Bezos that his idea is stupid. But these legends did not give up. They believed in their plans and went forward with it anyway. Now, not only are they multibillionaires, but they have also given us innovative solutions to our shopping needs during the pandemic or when we are tired and injured. They solved a problem that no one wanted to believe existed.

You need to believe in yourself and resolve to follow through with your plans no matter the consequences. Whether you want to develop a new cellphone, or start a janitorial service, or give a moving speech at the next UN assembly, it does not matter. All you need is to believe in yourself and your inner strength and meet the problem head-on.

If you believe it is right and serves a purpose for the betterment of yourself or society, then fight for what you believe in.

6. Coach and mentor yourself

 As mentioned earlier, there are no limits to naysayers in this world. However, when you believe in yourself and inspire and motivate yourself, nothing will dare stand in your way.

Successful people seek out coaches and mentors because they recognize the extra help they need. You will find Derek Moneyberg preaching about seeking help all the time. Many successful people have sought his financial guidance through the years.

If you cannot or do not want to approach an established coach or mentor, then you simply have to guide and inspire yourself. If you are reading this article, then you definitely have strong goals, a will to improve, and learn how to believe in yourself. You’ve already taken the first step.

Now you need to start coaching yourself too.

Tell yourself that you can do it. Read success stories and try to identify the points they all have in common. Develop your own plans accordingly, and never stop working on your progress.

Find motivation wherever you can. You need to know precisely what you want and create realistic long-term and short-term goals to achieve the ultimate one. When there is no one around to inspire you to believe in yourself, you have to do it yourself.

7. Implement health habits along with your wealth habits

In order to believe in yourself and find success in your personal and career challenges, you need to find a balance between health and wealth.

If you are determined to achieve your goals, then you are already on the right path. However, health plays an important role in achieving success too. When you neglect your health habits, they can fester into unnecessary and undulated physical anomalies.

It may start as a little excess or loss of weight, lethargy, pain. Then it develops into more severe health issues that result in depression, fatigue, etc. The problem is, when these health issues start to build, your body is unable to deal with the physical and mental acuity required for high performance. As your body and mind tire, so do your inner belief system.

At times like this, a simple failure or a little nudge can destroy your self-confidence and drive.

This is what we need to avoid. Therefore, to believe in yourself mentally, you need to maintain your physical and mental health habits.

Incorporate exercising the body and the mind in your daily routine. You don’t need to do it for hours, but a simple 20-minute meditation or 45-minute yoga or workout session can do wonders for your body and amplify the agility of your mind. Pay attention to your eating habits as well. A well-balanced nutritious meal helps keep your body and mind active.

These simple techniques will help stabilize your lifestyle and help you believe in yourself with fervor.

8. Fuel your willpower

As you know, willpower comes from within. It is the drive that helps you recognize what you want and pushes you to keep going in the face of pessimists and failures. You need to nourish this extremely useful means of resolve.

When you believe in yourself, your willpower grows stronger. Your level of determination is high because you know you can do it. There is a very simple way to fuel your willpower. All you need to do is keep your eyes on your ultimate goal and tell yourself that no matter what obstacles stand in your path, you will not stop.

Think of it as a hurdle race. You may trip once in a while, but you still need to focus on your goal and keep going. Believe in yourself that your success is quite literally in your hands.

9. Circumvent your fear of failure

Failure tends to suppress the ambitions and goals of many. However, failure does not mean the end of the world. If you have a dream, then you need to believe in yourself and your capabilities.

You’ve heard, ‘Failure is the stepping stone to success.’ But no one tells us what that really implies. It doesn’t just mean failing in school or college. It is a life lesson that needs to be implemented every single day.

For instance, let’s say you started a new skincare manufacturing business. But you can’t find investors because they are not impressed with your presentation. Don’t give up. Instead, identify the problem.

What is it about your presentation that does not connect with your audience? Or what is the problem that is keeping people from purchasing your products?

Once you identify the problems, work on development around them. Create a better presentation with more psychological cues that connect with your investors. Take the time to understand their personal struggles and demonstrate how your products can solve the problem. Recognize the issues in your niche market and develop subsequent adverts that highlight and provides a solution.

Failure has to be circumvented in order to find success. You need to believe in yourself, your abilities, your products and services, your skills. It is you who has to live your life and you who has to believe in yourself. Don’t let failure push you down. Instead, rise above and find a way to evade it in the future.

10. Develop a winner’s mindset

Winners take years to develop a mindset that disregards all manners of pessimism. If you want to find success, then you need to build a winner’s mindset.

This is the last and most important step of all because it the most challenging but fruitful stage.

Start by limiting your circle of friends. If your friends and family keep demotivating you and challenging your self-esteem, then perhaps they are not the best company to keep.

It is hard to let go; that is understandable. However, you need to believe in yourself, and having constant degradation and defamation will never help you build yourself up. Some people challenge you by telling you what you’re doing wrong. But they also take the time to appreciate you when you do it right. They are building you up. These are people you need to keep.

However, some keep demotivating you no matter what you do. They are just negative people who discuss other people’s failures with you and yours with others. These are the people you need to shed immediately.

In order to develop a winner’s mindset and believe in yourself, you must surround yourself with those who raise your standards and inspire you to do better.

Another critical thing winners keep in mind is to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. It is crucial to prioritize your goals and always keep improving yourself. Let the negativity roll off your back, focus on the positive, work smarter each day, and attend to your own convictions. And voila! No one can stop you from believing in your dreams and achieving whatever you set your mind to.

Conclusion

Now that you know what steps you need to take to believe in yourself and achieve your dreams, there is no time to waste. Set your goals and focus on the finish line. Always believe in yourself and your capabilities, and you will soon see how quickly your life and lifestyle changes.

Your success and your future are entirely in your hands. All you have to do is believe in yourself. Here’s a great article about the keys to business success.

The post How to Believe in Yourself appeared first on Small Business Coach.

More often than not, one of the challenges that come with a owning or running a business is the absence of people to set goals, deadlines, and incentives for you to follow and benefit from. You are likely “wearing too many hats” and juggling to many projects. The need for self motivation thus creeps in.

So, how does a business leader/owner stay motivated to become a better person and business leader while simultaneously propelling the business?

Let’s dive into it.

What is motivation?

Motivation is the drive to achieve set goals, be more fulfilled, and generally improve our quality of life. It is that push to succeed at whatever you do.

That said, finding ways to stay self motivated can deliver control of many aspects of your life into your hands. Motivation forms one of the three critical aspects of personal skills that encapsulate emotional intelligence, and its mastery can prove instrumental in business success.

Motivation is made up of four key aspects:

•         Personal drive: This is the inner longing to attain and exceed certain standards
•         Commitment: Commitment to personal as well as organizational goals
•         Initiative: Initiative is the sheer readiness to act on present opportunities
•         Optimism: Optimism is the ability to persist in pursuing set goals despite the lingering setbacks and challenges that come

Let’s explore, in some detail, these individual elements that constitute self motivation.

Elements of self motivation

1.     Personal drive to achieve

Personal drive to achieve can be viewed as ambition or perhaps personal empowerment. It could also be more appropriate in terms of mindset, and this brings two types of mindsets to light: fixed mindset and growth mindset.

There are two types of mindset: fixed and growth.

A fixed mindset is centered on a rigid school of thought that we can’t change our degree of ability. The fixed mindset is based on the idea that talent is ingrained and can’t be acquired by study and hard work.

A growth mindset is based on the more optimistic school of thought that believes skills can be acquired and improved upon by the individual through hard work and effort.

A critical look as the statistics and research reveals that those with the growth mindset believe that abilities can be improved upon and are more likely to succeed in whatever they set themselves to do. Therefore, the growth mindset is an essential aspect of your drive to succeed.

However, the personal drive to succeed isn’t limited to the mindset of growth; it incorporates other elements as timeliness and efficient time management, being well organized, and avoiding distractions.

2.     Commitment to goals

The research supports the notion that the setting of goals is essential to general well being. As the saying goes, “if you aim at nothing, it is easy to achieve it.” We all need something to aim at in life. That gives us a sense of purpose and direction. Being fully conscious of what you desire to achieve and setting relevant goals to meet that purpose is vital in staying self motivated.

You should note that it isn’t just setting lofty goals and expectations in life but pursuing them with the commitment to attain them. When committed to our set goals, the drive to attain them comes almost effortlessly.

3. Initiative

The initiative is the ability to take advantage and act upon opportunities when they present themselves.

In the face of opportunity, it can be easy to hesitate, which can cost you the opportunity altogether. But it’s not just about rushing to act; there must be careful consideration and a cautious approach, which must not be confused with hesitation. It is essential to carefully think things through and be sure of the decision you’re about to make. It isn’t just about having the courage to act, but the equivalent risk-management skills in the action.

While courage helps you overcome the fear of the unknown as you engage an opportunity, risk management plays an essential role in ensuring you jump on the right opportunities, with an understanding of the risks involved, knowing whether they fall within your ability to manage them.

4. Optimism and resilience

Optimism is the ability to stay positive, seeing the bright side of things, and thinking in a positive direction.

Resilience is the ability to get back on your feet after a setback or to stay positive amid challenges. Though not the same thing, optimism and resilience are closely related.

Resilience helps you manage negative emotional responses to challenges by staying positive and using rational thinking to approach situations.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic motivators

There are two main categories of motivators: intrinsic and extrinsic motivators; the former is related to what we want to do, and the latter is related to what we have to do.

Intrinsic motivator

Intrinsic motivation pertains to the situation you perform a task or action based on the perceived/expected satisfaction derived from the task or action. It relates to what you what to do – having fun, being interested, and your challenges.

Extrinsic motivator

Extrinsic motivation pertains to the situation you perform a task or action to achieve external rewards like money, power, good grades, etc. Extrinsic motivation relates to what you have to do and may not derive personal pleasure or satisfaction.

People are motivated at different times by different things in different ways in their lives, and the same action may sway towards one of the two motivators or may combine both.

How to be self motivated in business

1.     Have a personal mission statement

The business’s mission statement describes the organization’s generic goals, core values, and culture from a broad perspective. Every business has or should have that. This gives direction to the organization and not only boosts self motivation, but also motivates stakeholders and staff.

For the same reasons a business should have a mission statement, every business owner should have a personal mission statement as it gives clear direction and can therefore be used as self-motivation. It would help if you cataloged it – write it down, read it, memorize it, and internalize it until it becomes part and parcel of you. That will serve as a constant reminder of your personal goals and keep you focused and motivated towards attaining them. Without a personal mission statement, what are you shooting for? What do you hope to achieve?

2.     Have a plan

Having a mission statement is step one of self motivation, but the most important step is articulating a plan to execute the mission. If you will become a master of communicating the vision, values and mission of your organization, you will be self motivated.

Without a plan, then the mission is of no use. Just as a business can’t thrive without a plan to accompany the mission, so too do you need your personal and professional plan, with well structured and attainable long-term and short-term goals.

Like the mission, the plan should be penned down, but it is a living document. It is organic and subject to change as the personal and professional circumstances change. The general idea here is to ensure you have a working plan you’re following.

3.     Have a routine, But also have some variety
   

How you start every opportunity to do better – the day can help you stay motivated. Therefore, you should develop a tremendous daily morning routine – one that will help you be alert, focused, and prepared.

However I’ve coached more than a thousand business leaders and many can easily get burned out from doing the same thing again and again. If you thrive on variety make sure that you design your own job description to include various kinds of work activities.

4.     Have time for yourself

Being a business owner means you most likely invest a great deal of your time in your business, about its daily affairs and consumed by your desire to see it succeed. But as much as you need to invest time in the business towards business success, you should schedule some time for yourself each day to keep your self motivation high. Give yourself time margins to take a walk, relax, meditate and even exercise. Such set-apart moments can help you set attention on some personal aspects like your diet, hydration, and rest. All these will go a long way to keep you self motivated.

5.     Have reminders for plans set

Even with a plan, it can be challenging staying on schedule and keeping up with your routines. As such, you should have reminders set for critical activities throughout the day and make it a habit of setting these reminders. Use alarms to help you stay focused on the most critical tasks of the day. That will keep you focused and motivated towards attaining your set goals.

A great application of this is in time-blocking features, especially on your phone, that helps partition your day among specific tasks, with reminders to help you keep up with your goals and keep your self-motivation alive.

6.     Reward yourself, and celebrate your accomplishments with your team
   

Incentives are a great motivation tool, and you can use that on yourself. Reward yourself for goals and tasks you accomplish. Recognizing the small wins will boost your morale and keep you motivated as you press on towards achieving your set goals.

When you achieve your goals be sure to acknowledge your team and family. Celebrate those wins every time with parties, dinners in or out, and team building activities!

7.     Engage your friends

Sometimes, peer pressure can be a great source of motivation. So, engage your friends and colleagues to help motivate you in what you’re doing. You could even do this digitally by using apps, as you challenge each other positively towards attaining your goals.

8.     Engage in inspirational activities

Sometimes, to keep your self-motivation high, you need to look outside your comfort zone for motivation. You could watch an inspirational movie, a motivational talk show, or podcast while walking, eating or exercising, in your time. Inspirational activities will remind you to stay positive and motivated and will enhance your intrinsic motivation levels towards success.

9.     Stay positive

There isn’t a standard across the board for what makes people happy. As such, you have to choose to be happy, irrespective of how things are going. By staying positive, you can better rationally approach situations with the mind to prevail. This is important to stay self motivated.

So, look out for the right side of things, and be optimistic.

10. Sleep

Finally, never underestimate the power of sound sleep for staying self motivated. Irrespective of the day’s failures or the missed goals, nothing is worth compromising a good night’s sleep for. When you are well-rested, your thinking is fresh as you approach tasks with great self-motivation

11. Communicate with others

Communicating with others, especially people you consider, can inspire you and keep you motivated and energized. A simple conversation with an optimistic person can significantly motivate you, so be open to share ideas and communicate with others.

12. Engage your area of interest

Being self motivated is inextricably linked to the degree of interest you have in what you are doing. If interest is absent from your current task, then your motivation is short-circuited, and you should consider dropping it and switching to other more personally exciting activities. Even when there is no interest in the task, but it is expedient, find ways to correlate the activity to your ultimate goals. That will essentially tunnel motivation through your goals into what you’re doing, birthing new springs of energy and enthusiasm, all leading towards success.

13. Self-acknowledgment

How do you know you are motivated? You should, as an individual, know when your self motivation levels are adequate. Know yourself and be acknowledge it when you’re motivated.

14. Monitor and record your success

You should have systems to monitor and record your successes for tasks, assignments, projects, activities, etc. When you see a positive trend in successes registered in what you do, you automatically become more motivated to do and be more. So, catalog your successes and keep yourself motivated.

15. Increase energy level

Energy is necessary for self motivation. So, engage in activities like exercises. Take regular breaks and rest to keep your energy ever-high.

16. Assist, support and motivate others

Play an active role in motivating others. Be open to sharing your views and ideas with your friends, peers, colleagues, and get involved in helping them stay motivated. When you see others doing well and succeeding, you get self motivated too.  Help others to stay motivated, and you will  keep yourself motivated.

17. Encourage learning

Strive to learn more in every aspect of your life and work. Learning makes you more confident in taking on new tasks/assignments and keeps you self motivated.

“To become self motivated, read client/customer reviews of your performance. Focus on how you are changing lives with your products or services. When I read my client reviews I get excited and ready to change some more lives!” Alan Melton, Founder and CEO Small Business Coach Associates

 

Tips from 15 small business owners and entrepreneurs on how to stay self motivated

1.     Barry Maher

“You can’t wait for outside inspiration. You’ve got to see motivating yourself as an essential part of the process, maybe the most essential part. Because when it comes right down to it, nobody else can motivate you. All anyone else can ever do is talk you into motivating yourself, is sell you on the idea of motivating yourself. You motivate you. There’s nobody else who can be with you every hour of the day or the night when all those thousands of little decisions that lead toward your goals or away from your goals have to be made. You’ve got to be your own guru, your own favorite motivational speaker.”

– Barry Maher, Author/Speaker/Founder of BarryMaher.com

2.     Catherine E. Storing

“Remember, it is not about you. Whenever you feel frustrated or stuck, it is because you are concentrating on you instead of the outcome your clients/customers will receive by working with you.”

– Catherine E. Storing, Chief Style Coach of The Confidence Building Coach

3.     Josh Waldron

“This may seem like a simple tip, but as an entrepreneur, I stay motivated by exercising. Since most of my work is computer-based, it’s very important for me to push my body physically and enjoy fresh air and sunshine on a somewhat regular basis. Exercise refreshes my brain, inspires creativity, and encourages a positive outlook.”

– Josh Waldron, Founder of Studio JWAL, LLC

4.     Ryan Celestain

“As an entrepreneur, I have two tips that I personally use to stay motivated. The first tip is to focus on the big picture. You must know exactly what it is that you want. Your vision of the future of your company/product/organization must be crystal clear. When you can see with great clarity what it is that you want, you have no problem doing the work necessary.”

– Ryan Celestain, Founder of RyanCelestain.com

5.     Adam Kirsch

“Often, if I find myself lacking in motivation, I talk to the users of our systems. This allows me to both see how much of an impact we have had to date and what other things we can do to make their lives easier. Working with the customers and knowing that we can still improve our product for them really inspires me to keep working, even if circumstances are challenging.”

– Adam Kirsch, Chief Operating Officer of Yorango, Inc.

6.     Kelly Fallis

“When you’re overwhelmed, pick the biggest/hardest task that will have the most impact, crank the tunes and dive in for an uninterrupted evening session — I love the 10 – 2 am session for minimal interruptions personally – odds are with total concentration, you’ll make huge progress, and then the rest will fall into place and seem much easier.”

– Kelly Fallis, CEO of Remote Stylist

7.     Konrad Billets

“Have a purpose behind your work. Tie it to something bigger than yourself and remind yourself of this purpose constantly! I also repeat one of these to myself: “I can do hard things,” “Your competitor is probably working right now,” or “Go all in.” If those don’t work, I jam on the banjo for an hour, then get back to work.”

– Konrad Billetz, Founder and CEO of Frameri Eyewear

8.     K.L. Graham

“Create a schedule. Set aside time for work tasks and time for family and leisure time. Don’t let them mix or interfere with one another. This prevents burn-out and keeps you motivated to complete tasks because you can visually see that once you get your tasks done, you have time to enjoy yourself.”

– K.L. Graham, Author of “E-Business Success: Using Technology to Take Your Business to the Next Level” and Founder of Sirius Web Solutions

9.     Kelly Daugherty

“When we have had challenging times, I remember that most small businesses hit rock bottom before their big break came. If you still believe in your idea, you will make it succeed. Just keep being persistent. Remember, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

– Kelly Daugherty, Managing Partner of Smashing Golf & Tennis

10. Laura L. Barkat

“The long view is the strong view.  Business mirrors life: you’ve got to keep at it to make it work. A long view helps, rather than looking just at this month’s (or even this year’s) stats, earnings, accomplishments. For instance, in the publishing industry (our industry), the bulk of sales comes from titles more than a year old.”

– Laura L. Barkat, CEO of T. S. Poetry Press

11. Simon Tam

“Make a Game of It: When there’s an arduous task that I don’t want to do, I apply a little bit of game theory: I create a small competition between my employees and me, try and set or break records, or even have a simple countdown to my goal. Competition is a great way to motivate ourselves to go the extra mile. When I do reach my goal, I make sure to reward myself as well as the employees involved.”

– Simon Tam, Author of “How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements”

12. Carrie Devorah

“The best motivation is finding a Groove that works and keeps you moving forward. The groove can be anywhere. So listen… try and know that each step is a success.”

– Carrie Devorah, Founder of The Center for Copyright Integrity

13. Ian Aronovich

“To stay motivated, you have to keep reminding yourself that a good business with a strong, reliable source of revenue can stay afloat even in the roughest of times. That’s why – while you have to change – you need to work to build a strong business by testing different revenue models, simulate your business in various economic environments, and brainstorm what new methods your business can use to bring in more profits. If or when the economy falls into rough times, because you’ve done the work to build a good foundation for your business, you’ll be more optimistic and maintain the motivation that’s necessary to keep pushing forward.”

– Ian Aronovich, Co-Founder and CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org

14. JeFreda R. Brown

“We business owners all have experienced the tire kickers who waste our time. Our goal is to reach the clients and customers who really need our services and will pay for them. During those times when it’s kind of slow, and you start reconsidering if you’re doing the right thing, a client will come along who is grateful for your help. Receiving feedback from the clients who let you know you have truly enhanced their life is what keeps me motivated and going.”

– JeFreda R. Brown, CEO of Brown Accounting Solutions, LLC

15. Bill Simpson

“I have my dream goal written down on paper and taped to the wall where I can always see it. Each day, I start off by taking 5 minutes, closing my eyes, and visualizing and daydreaming about making it to that goal; how I would feel once completed, what I would do to celebrate reaching the goal, etc. That provides the motivation each day to work towards that goal. If I ever hit a really big bump in the road and things get really tough, I just take 5 minutes to again visualize reaching that goal and continue to move forward.”

– Bill Simpson, President & CEO of Life Document Storage, LLC

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