When The Honeymoon Is Over - Motivation & Mindset.

Keeping your eyes on the prize is relatively easy when starting out in business – you have fire in your belly, firm goals and dreams of success. Motivation is your middle name and your mindset could win prizes.

Everyone around you is excited and interested in your new business. You’re pumped and you inspire those around you.

If you’re jumping from the corporate ladder, you may be the envy of some. Parents may question your plans - but they love you and only want what’s best, even if you are 40 years old! Friends take an active, curious interest. You’re a bit of a celebrity. You’re taking on the world, baby.

This is the Honeymoon period. It’s an exciting period in an entrepreneur’s life.

And then it’s over. And you’re on your own. The excitement has settled, the newness isn’t quite so new, the conversations have moved on. Life goes on as usual. But you still need to make your business work. And you are still working on your business 24/7.

No clocking off at 5pm, or passing the buck to a colleague. No company systems to safely follow. No pay cheque unless you hustle it.  No well trodden path to follow. It’s just you and your ambitions.

At best, the highs are so intoxicating you can barely breathe for the thrill and the I-did-this-all-myself pride. At worst it can be disheartening and confusing. To say entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster is a cliché, but clichés are born from truth.

Which is why fostering a robust mindset and finding motivation are so vital.

I’m an artist and designer, and in 2010 I moved from my home studio in Geneva to a shop and online in Sydney; I was seriously stepping out of my comfort zone.

After the launch parties, after the shop had been filled with my fabulous wares, after my design-your-own chair website had gone live, after I gained some pretty cool press coverage, it hit me. I had no idea how to keep the momentum going.

My honeymoon was over.

Handling the stress of bootstrapping a business and trying to keep positive when feeling lost is a predictable recipe for mental and business disaster.

It becomes increasingly harder to stay focused and motivated. Shiny new objects attract your attention, a narrow mindset can creep in and you can easily get bogged down.

So, here are 3 things I do to foster a focused mindset and keep myself motivated:

1 )  Surround myself with people more knowledgeable than yourself but who are travelling the same journey. We must never stop learning – join a business group, either locally or online.

In 2013 I joined an online business course; an 8 week, live online business program that teaches business from the ground up. And through a closed Facebook page it gives me lifetime access to the greatest group of women (and a few men) I have ever met.  An army of thousands, all taking the same journey.

Magic happens here. We connect online everyday, discuss business, celebrate our wins and share our failures. These women make me laugh, wipe my tears, answer my dunderhead questions and generally keep me sane. Priceless.

2)   Vision-boarding is a powerful way to keep your eye on the prize.

What do you want to achieve in your business? Think about where you’d sell, what experiences you want, your ideal clients, events you’d like to attend, the things you’d spend your earnings on etc.

Then trawl magazines and the internet for images and quotes that reflect them. Only use pictures and words that genuinely feel good to you. Really listen to what your intuition says and not society’s dictated ideals of success.

You can create an e-board but I’m low-tech, so I reach for the scissors and glue. Keep your vision-board visible as a screen saver, or pinned above your desk; use it for inspiration and motivation. I create mine on the hardback covers of my business notebooks. No escaping it there!

3)   If I feel my mindset and motivation slipping, my instant fix is listening to a podcast, webinar or interview.

Seeing the world from another’s perspective is the ideal pep-talk.

Listening, as opposed to reading, is hugely impactful and convenient. I live on a waterfront nature reserve in Sydney and nothing lifts my spirits more than an hour’s walk listening to a podcast.

My current favourites are:

·       Andrew Warner is a master interviewer and brings out the best stories from top start-up founders. Listen to Mixergy here.

·      The Law of Attraction by Abraham Hicks www.abraham-hicks.com     – I believe that our minds are the most powerful tool we possess. And that the Universe has more to offer than meets the eye. Listen and be uplifted!

·      My absolute favourite TED Talks are Elizabeth Gilbert’s, author of Eat, Pray, Love.   https://www.ted.com/speakers/elizabeth_gilbert As a creative I really resonate with how she describes the creative process and overcoming her creative blocks. 

Mindset and motivation are topics we all need to address on a daily basis. And by talking, sharing and opening up to each other, we can enjoy our businesses well after the honeymoon is over.

First printed in Violet Magazine