The entrepreneur life isn’t for the faint of heart. There are late nights and early mornings, sacrificing sleep and there are days when you don’t FEEL like working on your dream – but you do it anyway because feelings are fleeting.
What keeps you going when you’ve worked an 8 hour day and then you have to come home to work on your side hustle?
I’ll be honest. It’s a LOT of hard work.
You have to know without a shadow of a doubt that this is what you want in life and tackle it, no matter the cost!
Here are four ways to keep motivated in the midst of distraction and doubt:
1. Surround yourself with dreamers and doers – Your tribe is the most important part to staying motivated. Find likeminded people who will encourage you when you’re feeling overwhelmed, celebrate the wins and those who can relate to the struggles of being your own boss. You become like the people you hang around, and believe me – if you don’t put positive, goal-oriented people in your life, then you’re setting yourself up to fail.
Real talk — when all of your friends are going after their dreams, you don’t want to be the slacker of the group.
But most importantly, it’s the most amazing feeling to be surrounded by women who are making a difference. Find those girls who aren’t scared to vocalize their dreams. Those people who are jumping off the cliffs, taking life by the horns and putting action behind those 2am chats about what you want to do with your life.
2. Prove the naysayers wrong – Have you ever had someone tell you your idea was impossible? It’s never easy when people squash your huge dreams, but as creatives we have to learn how to handle that feedback. If you’re like me, you love a challenge. Nothing fuels my fire like being told I can’t!
Bruno Mars lyrics, “Don’t believe me just watch” pops into my head.
When someone tries to cast doubt into my life, I first off have to think – is this person’s opinion even worth my time? 75% of the time it’s not. You have to figure out whose jibberish you value. Even when it’s people I respect, I still have to do what’s best for ME! Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate you taking time to let me know, but you do you cause imma do ME!
Don’t get me wrong, it stings to have the people closest to you or someone with authority not believe in you. I’ve been there. We all have. And I give you permission to cry, be upset, wallow in self pity, complain, eat a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies — but you’ve got about 24 hours. Then it’s time to put on your big girl pants and show them who’s the GIRL BOSS!
3. Use your talent to help others — with no strings attached – There’s no better feeling than helping someone out of the goodness of your heart. Many of us approach helping people with a “I’ll do this for you, but what can you do for me” type of attitude. There’s nothing wrong with that business mindset at times, but that type of mentality won’t get you very far in life. It’s easy to sniff out people who aren’t genuine.
Each of us is unique and was instilled with gifts to make an impact. If you’re good at social media, help those who haven’t quite grasped the importance of Instagram and Snapchat. If you’re an encourager, tell your friends how proud you are of them. Use your gift to brighten someone’s day.
I’ll be honest, you most likely aren’t going to make any money from this encounter, but I promise you the reward will outweigh the cost. You’ll leave that coffee meeting stronger in your skill set and feeling accomplished because you’re helping someone take one more step towards their dream. Not to mention, that good karma will come back your way!
4. Visualize your future – If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. You’ve got to have confidence in your dream and know this is what you were created to do. You have to fall in love with your vision before anyone else will. And as I’ve discussed, not everyone will be on your team, but let that fuel your fire. (Refer to #2.)
I encourage you to find something tangible that reminds you why you started and give you inspiration. Maybe it’s a bracelet that you wear to remind you of your intentions, a quote hanging in your office or a vision board of your goals. Whatever it is, put it in a prominent place so you’re held accountable every time you glance at it.
What’s my biggest secret? I am a firm believer in manifesting your destiny. If you don’t dream BIG and know what you want in life, then you have no road map. And I’m not just talking about dreams for next week or next year. I’m talking about those dreams you barely even allow yourself to think about — the ideas that are humanly not feasible and scare you. Write them down. Tell your tribe. I love talking to people about things that don’t even exist yet. Some people look at me like I’m crazy (obvi not one of my crew), but I love claiming those things that haven’t happened yet as though they are reality.
For example – If you dream of having an office one day for your business, draw out what you want it to look like and where your desk would be and begin to believe it. If you want to live in a certain town, print out a map and hang it on your wall. Circle the city and begin to visualize your life there.
I know it sounds crazy, but visualizing your future is basically taking a leap of faith. When you have the courage to step out and start trusting that there’s more to life then your world will be turned upside down.
These tips have worked for me, but I’d love to hear what keeps you motivated?!
Sarah is a leap-taker, encourager and hustlin’ girl boss. Her passion is inspiring women and seeing others chase after their dreams. She is the owner of Social Bliss Events, an event planning boutique that specializes in bachelorette parties and co-founder of Creative Souls. You can follow her at @sarahcharlottepatton and @socialblissevents.
