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business management
Maintaining Your Motivation
A personal motivation plan might be just what you need.
By Kelley Robertson
I
recently spoke to a group of sales professionals at the end of their training
conference. The company had structured the entire program to create energy
and excitement, and to foster a sense of team enthusiasm. They had a theme
and encouraged their vendors to incorporate the theme into each of their
individual presentations.
At a time when business is so demanding, and physically and emotionally
exhausting, it reminded me how motivational a conference, training workshop
or corporate gathering can be. It reinforced the importance of participating
in sessions like these on a regular basis, if for no other reason than to
ignite our own personal motivation.
TIME TO RECHARGE
Running a business is tiring, stressful and challenging. Small-business
owners are required to wear many hats, often at the same time, while executives
of large organizations often have more problems and politics to manage on
a daily basis. It is not uncommon for the business to drain our energy and
motivation, regardless of how much we enjoy the business.
If you do not take time to recharge your batteries and refresh your perspective,
it is easy to find yourself frustrated with your business. That is why it
is imperative to have a personal motivation plan in place. This means taking
advantage of opportunities that will help you maintain your motivation.
Here are few suggestions to help get you started.
SIX-STEP PROGRAM
1. Attend a personal development workshop. Identify an area in your
business or personal life that you would like to improve.
At the beginning of each year, I determine what types of programs I want
to attend and begin looking for them. I find that these sessions give me
a short break from the daily grind of my business and help me see things
from a different perspective. They can give you a much needed boost in your
energy.
2. Join a Master Mind group. Meeting with other like-minded people
can help you see your business from a different perspective.
An effective group will have between six and eight members from a variety
of industries and will usually meet several times a year. If you have the
right chemistry between members, these meetings not only will help you improve
your business, they also will motivate you to try new approaches and market
your business differently.
3. Exercise. I am an avid runner and have completed two marathons
and several half marathons. Without fail, I notice a decrease in my personal
motivation during times I cannot run for one reason or another.
Regular exercise helps your body work more effectively and efficiently.
Although I usually catch myself thinking about work-related issues during
my runs, I often notice that I develop more creative solutions when I am
exercising.
4. Read or listen to motivational material. Instead of reading the
daily newspaper with breakfast or coffee in the morning, try reading inspirational
material instead.
A well-written book that offers sound advice is more motivating than reading
about the latest market declines. Listening to motivational tapes or CDs
in your car for one hour every day actually can give you the equivalent
of a university degree in a few years’ time.
5. Take time off. It is not a badge of honor to state, “I’m
too busy to take time off.”
In today’s fast-paced business world, it is critical to take time off
for vacation and rest and relaxation. Even a long weekend away from your
business can be restful. A true vacation also means completely avoiding
e-mail and voicemail. Yes, you will have hundreds of messages to deal with
when you return, but you will have a renewed focus and energy to do it.
6. Associate with positive people. I have made it a point in the
latter part of my career to distance myself from negative individuals. They
drain your energy, will not support your goals and desires, and do little
to motivate you.
On the other hand, positive and optimistic people will uplift your spirits
and help you through challenging times.
Kelley Robertson, president of the Robertson Training Group (www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com),
works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their
employees. He is the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen—Proven
Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers Into Buyers.” You can receive
a free copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing
to Robertson’s 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine . |
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