A Taste Of Glory: Unshakeable Motivation

Entrepreneurs are some of the most highly motivated individuals around. Some say your motivation is a big part of what makes you who you are. It’s what makes you get up every day and succeed. But even a guy like Ari Gold can experience motivational lag sometimes.

How do you maintain that necessary motivation to get out and sell, increase productivity, negotiate a contract and reach that next tax bracket? How do you recharge your motivational batteries when you need them most? Follow these tips in order to barrel through the obstacles of success:

Think Positive 

No matter what you read or what you are told, you are in control of your mind. It may wander, doubts may creep up, but you are in charge. Choose not to let negative thoughts dominate your mind. Think about the increased productivity instead of how difficult it will be instituting a new policy.

Focus on your sales pitch and not possibly getting shot down. Make the decision to think about success rather than defeat. Or simply think of anything that’s positive.  The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Surrounding yourself with positive thinkers can be contagious. Spend time with and engage those motivated and successful people you know.

Avoid Negativity

Now, we are not advocating cutting off your parents. However, reducing negativity from your life allows your natural motivation to thrive. Some negative influences are easy to eliminate such as not returning calls to negative acquaintances. Others, such as clients, investors or key contacts may require a bit more creativity. Change the subject when these people come at you with negativity.

Find positive or humorous topics that they would rather talk about such as the Yankees, Mitt Romney or their kids. Finally, for the parent-level negativity, choose a time to talk to these people before doing something positive. Right before going to a party, meeting up with friends or taking your GSX-R on a mountain road is a perfect time to get that weekly grandchild update made to Mom.

Celebrate Your Victories

You have had your share of victories. Some are small and some are so large they define you. But sometimes it’s your failures that come to mind to crush your motivation. But most likely, your victories are more numerous and greater, even the small ones. Those are what need to be renting space in your head.

Celebrate all victories. Have office parties over the lunch hour, buy yourself that Armani or a new LED, order that cheesecake desert for a small victory. All these help you remember your victories. Commemorating your celebrations with pictures and video will give you visual reminders when they are most needed.

Plan Realistically

One of the biggest motivation breakers is stumbling over an unseen hurdle. There are two things that may minimize their effect. First, plan as if what can go wrong may go wrong. There is a reason why Murphy’s Law is still a household term.

If you expect the best but plan for the worst, the worst won’t be a surprise and you will be prepared. Second, if an unseen failure arises, know that it happens to the best. Even the savviest entrepreneur cannot see all the angles all the time. Use your skills, tools and assets to overcome them when they come and stay motivated.

Take Failures In Stride

Just like you’ve all had victories, you’ve all had failures. Failures are the lessons of life and only that. And as long as you are out there trying to succeed, even when you plan realistically, there will be failures in our futures.  It is important that we learn what we need to from them and move on. Do not dwell on them (see #1 above). Focus on the future. Know that every entrepreneur has faced failure. It’s how you respond to the failure that counts.

Above all, remember that no one’s motivation is in the red line all the time. We have ups and downs. Our motivation has peaks and valleys. Knowing how and what to do to stay motivated will keep the valleys short and the peaks long.

Venture Clout | Elite.