Your business is finally up and running – but now you’re facing burnout! 

Starting, owning and running your own business is hard work, and honestly, it isn’t for everyone. If you have proven you have what it takes to start and run a successful business, that is amazing, but you will most likely still face the challenge of staying motivated in the long-run. 

The skill of maintaining motivation and “keeping the spark alive” within your business, is something that must be cultivated. And although it takes time and effort, if you commit to focusing on and remembering  a few things, you will have much higher levels of motivation, and overall business health and success. 

The initial drive to launch your business is important, but in the long-run, it is your ability to implement your vision that will keep you going and help ensure success. 

Here are five tips for how to stay motivated…

#1 KNOW your “why”, and reflect on it often

Knowing and remembering why you started your business is perhaps the most important aspect of business ownership and leadership. Knowing your “why”, isn’t just knowing why your customers need your product, it also includes knowing the vision and mission of your company– where it is heading and why that matters! When your “why” is clear, you will have greater passion for your business and more likely to achieve your dreams and goals. But just knowing your “why” is not enough, you must also be able to clearly articulate your “why”, and your leadership and employees must also understand and know your company’s “why” too. When your whole team understands the “why” of your business, your team will be stronger and more motivated to help reach your goals, because they will know where you are going, and why that matters in the world.. 

#2 Keep The Spark Alive

Just like in a marriage, oftentimes entrepreneurs get too comfortable in their business and the success of their hard work, and they forget how important their business is – to their family, their employees, the customer, and even the community.. A business can be profitable and considered a success by financial standards, but if the owner gets bored, stagnation is probable and the owner and business will suffer. To keep the spark of your business alive, just like in a marriage, it is important to remain appreciative of where you have come from and where you are now, and to try new, exciting, and risky things to grow your business. Your imagination, dedication, and ability to take risks is what made you an entrepreneur in the first place, and it is important to remember the energy, focus, drive and faith you had in the early years that led to your success in the first place. 

Do not be afraid to dream big or to set new goals. As a business owner, challenging yourself and your business to grow will lead to a greater sense of energy and fun. By modifying and improving your products or process, taking informed risks, and remembering your vision, your energy and motivation should naturally skyrocket!

#3 Work-Life Balance

Starting and owning a business is hard work and you can easily lose yourself amidst a never ending to-do list. However, as a business and community leader, it is important that you model work-life balance, and the importance of prioritizing the things important in your life, both professionally and personally. As a values-driven business owner, it is important to live out your core values in your personal life. And if you are a Christian business owner, we suggest you commit to honoring the Lord’s mandate of Sabbath rest in your personal life. We at Maju Global personally understand the overwhelming pressure to finish important tasks and meet deadlines. But, as faith-driven business owners, we have chosen to honor Sabbath rest and trust God to multiply our time, energy and efforts as we obey His command to rest and reflect. As Christians, we are to be light in the world, and that includes being kind, balanced, healthy individuals, which will in turn also make us better spouses, parents and friends. If we overwork and overcommit, we, our families, and our community will feel the negative impact of that lifestyle. Pray and ask God how to balance your work and personal life in a way that will honor Him, your family, and you. 

#4 Have a Mentor

We are not meant to live alone, and it simply isn’t wise or effective to try and figure things out on your own. Having a mentor isn’t just smart, it is also Biblical, and we see it all throughout God’s Word. Refusing to seek out or consider the advice of those who have gone before us is not just stupid, but it is actually prideful too. 

Having a mentor as a part of your personal and business support system will help you avoid many problems and hardships, and is a key step to helping your business reach its full potential.  A mentor is someone with relevant life or business experience who is willing to come alongside you as an encourager and advice-giver as you navigate your roles and responsibilities in life – and of course, as an entrepreneur, this includes your business too. When you have a mentor, you have someone to bounce ideas off of, provide reliable and honest feedback, and a trusted person to share your struggles and concerns. Mentors can also help expand your professional network and hold you accountable to reaching your business goals. A mentor celebrates you in your successes and encourages you in your failures.Being an entrepreneur is hard work and comes with a lot of pressure, so having a wise, trusted person to lean on and keep you motivated,, is invaluable! 

#5 Celebrate Wins – even the small ones

Entrepreneurs often get so caught up with the big picture goal and end vision, that they forget to recognize their progress and accomplishments along the way. As you meet deadlines and goals, you should be proud of yourself and your team! Taking the time to step back to recognize how far along you have come is not just important to celebrate, but it is also vital to your personal well-being and mindset.. Pausing to acknowledge small wins helps build the momentum you need to  keep you motivated and heading towards your longer-term goals. 

Even though this is just a list of 5, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to implement. We encourage you to rank these in order from most to least important to you. Then start with #1, and each month commit to implementing that element. By the end of the year you should be in a different place than you are today. 

If you can’t find a mentor or you struggle with staying on task and motivated, please reach out and see how we can help. We have some amazing tools that will help you identify your values, vision, mission and purpose, and then create a simple but effective plan and strategy to help you stop spinning your wheels, and get you moving in the right direction with incredible momentum. Reach out today and ask about our Shift Coaching and how it can change your personal and business life!

Check out our free Entrepreneurial Assessment  to see what you need for success! 

If you need help starting or growing your business, check out our Business StartUp course! Through this self-paced, online course, you will identify your personal values, strengths and assets, and learn what makes a good business idea, how to conduct market research by using our simple and clear step by step market research guide, and even how to write a strong business plan by using our business planning master tool and templates. But that’s not all,  you will also learn how to create a purpose-driven company, how to maintain a healthy life/work balance, time management, goal setting, leadership skills and vital financial management tools. Don’t miss this opportunity! Start today!