As a business owner you’re often on your own making decisions and living with the consequences. Even if/when you have a team you’re still ultimately responsible for running the business.
As a kid my parents were often overseas but, whenever they were in the country, my mother would be in the front row of every performance, waving away. When I ran the Bristol 10k for the first time she even borrowed my daughter’s pompoms and cheered me on. And for my ironman triathlon in 2017 the whole family turned up with wigs and inflatable palm trees and they played the LOUDEST music which motivated all the runners throughout the long, gruelling marathon element that finishes the 226.3km (140.6 miles) of this hardcore event.
As an introvert who prefers to avoid the spotlight I found all this EMBARRASSINGLY supportive. But it’s also good to have somebody in my corner. No matter what. Unconditionally.
Who supports you in the lonely role of running your business? Who is there for you on a bad day/week/month/year?
Business coaches can help (I like to think that I provide this support for my clients) but it’s also important that you build a whole network around you. The accountancy world is very collaborative so I’m lucky to have people around me who understand my issues a bit better than my adoring family.
But again, the buck stops with you and YOU are responsible for motivating yourself through the dog days.
I recommend:
- Keep a list of your successes to refer to when imposter syndrome strikes 🎉
- Keep a list of quick fixes when you’re struggling to start something eg I like to get outside, preferably by water but, if short on time, I have recorded 1min of waves breaking on a beach. 🔧
- Keep a reminder close by of your reason for your business. I have a shell on my desk that is a visual and tactile reminder that I am building my life as a digital nomad. 📌
- Keep a playlist that will lift your mood 🎵
What do you do to motivate yourself?