We’re going to discuss the best ways for up-and-coming entrepreneurs to get and stay motivated when starting a business online. We have helpful tips that will boost your motivation to new levels and hopefully keep it there. Based on in-depth research and countless studies, getting and staying motivated.
How to stay motivated when starting a business
1. You Need to Sleep Right
The simple fact is that a good night’s sleep can help you stay energized and motivated. This might be simple, but you need the energy to work and think. However, that’s not what we are talking about here.
When you sleep, your brain gets the chance to recharge. Generally speaking, sleep helps your brain produce so-called feel-good chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin, endorphins that make us feel happy, less anxious, and less depressed.
Adequate sleep is vital to reducing cortisol levels in the brain, a hormone that directly causes stress. Therefore, if you sleep right, you will be happier, less stressed, and anxious, all beneficial things that should help you maintain maximum motivation.
2. Use the Morning
What do you do when you wake up in the morning? You probably scroll through social media, decide what you’re going to wear, think about what you’ll eat for lunch from that pizza shop down the street, and so on. Like most of us, you waste the first couple hours of the day.
Your brain has more energy than it will for the rest of the day when you first wake up. So you should use that fresh brain to accomplish tasks that will benefit your online business.
Even if you don’t want to start working at the crack of dawn, you could exercise or even meditate, which we will talk about below. Both meditation and exercise are essential for motivation, so those will be the next points.
Important Note: this works for most people, but some of us night owls work the opposite; we take time to warm into the day and the night hours are when we do our best work. Set up your daily schedule to suit how you work best.
3. Get Moving: Work Up a Sweat
It might seem like everything we have talked about so far is not really related to your online business, which, in a certain sense, is true. However, we are talking about general motivation tips that everyone can adhere to, online business owners or otherwise. No worries, we will get into some more online business-specific motivation tips below.
When it comes to getting and staying motivated, exercise is one of the most important things you can do, which is true for many reasons. So, how does exercise help motivate you for the long day ahead?
Getting an hour of exercise in before your business day starts produces a sense of accomplishment. In addition, it’s an excellent way to get fired up.
Exercise also causes the brain to produce feel-good hormones and reduces cortisol, making you feel happier and less stressed, thus providing better motivation and concentration.
Studies show that exercise is naturally energizing. It’s always easier to stay motivated when you have the energy to accomplish everything you set out to do.
Another benefit is that exercise makes you look better, and when you look better, you feel better.
Fitness apps guide you on your exercise journey, motivate you, and keep track of your progress. That said, there are hundreds of fitness apps, and selecting the right one is essential to your well-being. Some of our recommended ones include: Fitness Buddy, Map My Run, and Runkeeper.
4. Some Mindful Meditation
Although people usually associate meditation with relaxation and calmness, it is also a tool to help you reflect inwards. Specifically, a technique known as mindfulness meditation is about slowing your thoughts, calming your mind, and reflecting inwards.
When you reflect inwards, you can think about your goals, why you want to, and how you can achieve these goals. Sometimes all you need is a bit of mental clarity.
There are more a few apps available to help you with relaxation techniques. Some of these include: Headspace, Insight Timer, and Calm.
5. Set Small and Realistic Goals, and Celebrate Them
A big downfall that so many young entrepreneurs and business owners face is that they set unattainable goals. This is a sure-fire way to kill your motivation.
Achieving goals and passing milestones are things that keep us going; they are proof that we are on the right track, and if we keep chugging along, we should see success. On the other hand, if you set unrealistic goals that take either too long or cannot be achieved, you’re going to feel defeated.
It will feel like you are walking in place but not getting anywhere. Therefore, you should try to set small and realistic goals, maybe even so small that you can achieve one or two each day.
Sometimes this sense of accomplishment, no matter how small, is all we need to keep marching on. It’s just like going to the gym. If you see your biceps growing or you’re losing weight, you will be motivated to keep going. However, if you don’t see results, you will likely quit.
6. Remember Past Victories
Another way to get and stay motivated is to think about the accomplishments you already have achieved. Think about those past accomplishments, really revel in them, and think about how you got there. How did you achieve these goals?
If you can see the path you took to achieve your past goals, it could help illuminate the way to achieve future goals. So often, we give up on goals simply because we don’t know how to get there, which is why our next point is important.
7. Reach Out
Many of us are not seeing enough of the outside world, especially in these trying times with lockdowns and restrictions. We have become isolated in our homes, and this is not good for motivation. People are gregarious creatures, which means we need other people. Leave anybody alone for too long, and the result will be evident in their mental health.
Sometimes you may need someone to tell you that you can get over that hump. If you are having trouble, whether achieving business goals, staying motivated for your business, or if your mental health is suffering in general, don’t hesitate to talk to someone. A few words of encouragement from friends and family can go a long way in giving us that boost we need to continue down the path to success.
Friends and family are not the only ones who can help. Some communities and forums are designed just for online business owners and entrepreneurs and those designed to help coach people through life and provide motivation. Whether you reach out to friends, family, an online community, a forum, or even a psychiatrist, having someone to talk to can make a difference in your outlook.
FAQs
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How do You Motivate Yourself to Start a Business?
The best things you can do when starting a business include creating a mission statement, creating a plan, sticking to a routine, planning ahead, and celebrating those small achievements.
Why Do So Many Online Businesses Fail?
One of the main reasons many online businesses fail is because they fail to set clear goals. If you don’t have clear goals, it is hard to tell how you need to move. As a result, you might never take the necessary steps to see profits. Goals lead to plans, plans lead to action, and action hopefully to success.
Will an Online Business Make Me Rich?
Although there is a possibility, it’s not overly likely that you will strike gold with an online business. However, online businesses can produce significant incomes that can allow you to quit your day job and earn a more than comfortable living. There are a lot of tremendous success stories out there. But, there are a lot of people who lost motivation and eventually threw in the towel.
Conclusion
If you follow the tips we have covered, not only should you stay motivated to push your online business to the next level, but you should also be able to get and stay motivated in all aspects of life.
