Staying Motivated in Your Home Business
© 2000 by Julie Frost
Being a home based business owner can be tough some days. There are days
when you don't feel like working on that big project, but you know it
needs to get done. There will be times when you are struggling to find
your next client, land a sale, or get that appointment and you feel like
it will never happen.
So what do you do? How do you keep yourself motivated during the tough
times? I don't claim to have all the answers that will work for
everyone, but these experiences, some of my own, and some from others
who have been there, done that, may help you.
Personally, I get myself motivated by taking a day off each week to
volunteer at my daughters' school, and help the kids get motivated! I
teach computers, math, and art to Kindergarteners, first graders, and
fourth and fifth graders. It's one of the most refreshing, revitalizing
things I do for myself all week. And I get to help a whole lot of
children in the process (including my own). It's a real win-win
situation for me and those kids. And you know what? If I skip a week, I
notice it. My business notices it. My family notices it! So if I ever
feel unmotivated to go, I think about how bad I will feel the rest of
the week if I don't. Then there is no hesitation.
Liz Folger, author of The Stay At Home Moms Guide to Making Money and
owner of www.BizyMoms.com thinks
that starting the right home-based business to begin with has a lot to
do with staying motivated. She says "What's so sad is most people think
it's crazy when they are told they can make money doing something enjoy.
Yet they'll believe an ad that says they can make a ton of money
stuffing envelopes only because it's printed in black and white. Never
mind this has to be the most boring job I've ever heard of. It's also a
business I've never heard of anyone doing."
Jaqueline Freeman, an Executive Director with Excel Communications (http://www.excelir.com/jfreeman)
uses strong visuals of success to keep herself motivated. "I made a big
promotion that required me to do a lot of sustained work consistently
over a few months while also motivating our downline to make their
promotions, too. Some evenings I sure wanted to pop in a video and kick
back, but here's why I kept working instead: I had a highly-charged
vision with a lot of emotion attached to it, and a drop-dead deadline!
My husband and I had an approaching wedding anniversary and if we could
make that promotion, we would attend the very celebratory formal dinner
and ball for the top people in our company. Whenever I thought of
letting some small work detail slide (work is mostly all small details),
I'd remind myself that on our anniversary I could be dining, dancing,
and laughing in my husband's arms wearing a gorgeous gown surrounded by
dear friends, or I could, for example, watch a video that night and make
my calls tomorrow. The image I used was vivid enough that it compelled
me to work to meet that deadline."
Marjorie Robertson, with Pre-Paid Legal (www.prepaidlegal.com/go/marjorierobertson),
likes to look at the long term, instead of just today's setbacks. "I
prefer to look at my life and my personal goals from long range. I see
the value of sacrificing "little" pleasures now for "bigger" pleasures
or longer lasting pleasures down the road. When I consider "giving up",
I always look at three things:
1.) What I will never achieve if I stop now.
2.) What I will be throwing away...In other words, how much will I be
losing, by walking away from what I have already invested?
3.)What will be the cost of my starting over; in time, effort or money,
if I change my direction now, or wait until a later time to begin
again?...
The balance almost always weighs in favor of hanging in there, so that
gives me the renewed energy, to 'go one more mile.'"
April Gamboa, owner of
www.OwnAHomeBiz.com, has a powerful story that we can all learn
from. "I've worked since I was 17 years old in the business office
world. I quit my job four months ago for the first time ever in 19 years
to build my home business and wait for the arrival of my second child.
For 12 of those 19 years, I had my pride and joy, my son, who kept me
motivated to going back to the rat race everyday. I wanted to give him
everything I could so I worked long hours at the office to make an extra
buck, thinking I was doing the right thing. I would spend quality time
with my son on the time that I wasn't working, and I just knew I was
doing the right thing. My son was killed at 12 years old. I've learned
that our children or anyone can be taken away from us at anytime. If I
knew then what I know now, I would have spent long hours with my son,
and a little quality time at 'the job!' I've been given a second chance
at motherhood, and as you can guess, my new motivation is be home long
hours with my daughter and spend quality time on my home business. Every
time I think of the rat race I was in I start working on my home
business because I do not want to go back to where I'm told when to be
there, when to go home, when I can take time off to be with my family or
child, if I want to get paid. Forget that! Life is too short, believe
me!"
So what keeps you motivated? A favorite quote, book, song, or tape? An
appreciation for all that you have -- an attitude of gratitude? A life
lesson learned early on? A inspiring parent or grandparent's story of
hardship and success? Whatever it may be, when times get tough (as they
occasionally do), bring that one thing to the front of your mind, and
keep your eyes on the goal!
About the Author:
Julie Frost is the owner of
www.YourHomeBiz.com - a website that provides help in finding,
starting, growing, and succeeding in a home based business. Be sure to
sign up for her free weekly email newsletter when you visit. She also
helps people make more money and keep more of it, too, in an Internet
biz: http://www.LeadershipBiz.com.
