How can I stay motivated to keep going?

[pistachio]

A lot of what makes or breaks a true entrepreneur is their ability to actually be driven and hard working. I have worked for a business for over 15 years and learned a lot but I was laid off due to budget cuts last fall. It has been nearly a year since I have been unemployed and my husband agrees that I should become an entrepreneur and run my own online business.

I have a problem though. Because I know there isn't a pay check at the end of my time put in, I lack motivation and desire to want to work as hard as I can. Does that make sense?

How can I correct this?

 

[Gin]

Entering your own business as an Entrepreneur usually sparks from a 'passion'. Just look at blogs of specific 'niches', i.e., financial advisor, investment, realtors, pets, sewing, etc. Research your own favorite topic, check industry statistics to find how it's doing over all in the business market, read industry reports and statistics, trade and journal reports and web sites. You can find out if it will be successful. Once you start researching, pay attention to their 'marketing', do a back link research to see where they're getting 'traffic' online, also research your competition and what they're doing. Once you have that information, then find where your 'consumer audience' can be found and promote or build awareness of your business, there. Lots of work but you got to start in something you enjoy and not just for the $$. People will know. This type of information once gathered into a business plan will provide you direction and update it yearly. It will help you fulfill needed business goals.

 

[JayA]

Over the years I've been in a few similar situations and one that was an absolute killer for me, in more ways than one was about a 1.5 year project I did without a single cent to show for it, followed by several years of very little income.

While having the passion for doing something will make it a whole lot easier, putting food on the table and seeing a couple zeroes on the paycheck in the end of the month does wonders too! Even if it is just a little bit.

You don't mention if you want to start a business in the field you were working in before, but if it is, then you already have a ton of experience doing it. And if it is something that you can offer your services to people/business' as a freelancer, then that could be a place to start while building your business at the same time.

Not only could you make money while doing it, but when the time comes to go live with your own business, you'll have references and a client base that you could potentially keep with your business.

Freelancer or upwork are sites that you could check out, but the best place would be to search for job boards in your specific niche.

Aside from that, or if your field doesn't work well with freelancing, then a well structured work day is my best recommendation. Set up a detailed day by day work schedule (I use Trello for this myself) and treat it as you are at work. Take a lunch break at lunch time and if there are people in the house with you like your husbond or kids, etc. have a sitdown and make sure they understand that just because you are at home, does not mean you are free and available to do this and that until after work hours.

Hope that helps

 

[ChowShow]

there are tons of successful stories when people came from nowhere and now are sharks in the business, people who ruined their lives could build everything from zero or take a look at disabled people, oh, I've seen a lot of them, and the amount of motivation in them would be enough to share between the 1000 of people.

 

[jacekstrupinski]

Talk with your team, share your passion and trouble with them. If you are working solo talk with friends or family. Even if there's no actual progress in that, it's easier to keep going if you can discuss your work with someone.

At least that works for me. Sometimes you need to spend a lot of hours on a task and nobody will notice your efforts. It's hard to deal with that. If I feel I'm stuck or I just don't want to create another document only for myself, we have a team chat and we feel better

 

[RJWilde]

Hey Pistachio! It sounds to me like maybe you need to do some soul searching—if the idea of a paycheque isn't really motivating you, it could be because you're ready to look for some other kind of work that means more than just money. You could use this time to explore your interests and options find something you ARE excited about working on.

I just listened to a podcast about this: being open to new opportunities, and the power of saying "YES" to new things, even if they appear less than perfect. Check it out, it might give you some ideas on how to open up the road to the next step in your career: Being Open to Opportunities, with Polly Aspinall

 

[TribeDoor]

Howdy.

If you worked for a business for 15 yrs solid, maybe there is a need your former business did not cater to or a market you could create based off of your prior knowledge. One of passions greatest allies is familiarity.

Thanks
Michael

 

[NCLover]

I don't know why everyone acts like starting a business and being an entrepreneur is the answer to their problems. You said it yourself that you are motivated by that paycheck at the end of the month. Entrepreneurs view paychecks as ball and chain; an anchor. Something that keeps you a slave to someone else's business.

That said, I support anyone becoming an entrepreneur if they're willing to do what it takes to make sure they're successful. Most of what I've learned over the past 10 years of being an entrepreneur is that being an entrepreneur is 90% not quitting. There will be months and even years when your business won't be profitable. You can't let it discourage you.

What kind of online business are you trying to start, if you were to be an entrepreneur full time?

 

[Gary Trifone]

You should fail.

I am not joking. Try new things that you will fail from first. It will help you to set a goal to accomplish and overcome the difficulty. It is that simple

 

[eWomenNetwork]

Your personal motivation is the key to maintaining almost all aspects of life. Stay motivated always! Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you. Here are the some tips to help you stay on track:

• Be positive always.
• Visualize yourself achieving your goals.
• Dominating starts with dominating yourself.
• Discover your power.
• Set goals.
• Push yourself.
• Read and listen to inspiring stories.
• Experiment with something new.
• Reward yourself whenever you achieve something.

 

[mfawcett]

Speaking for myself, following the traditional "advice" wasn't working for me. I've hit rock-bottom economically, and I never want to experience that again, I also don't like being an employee, so that's an additional motivator. Nobody is going to hand you success (unless you were born to a wealthy family), you have to work for it.