CHAPTER 8: MOTIVATION AND GUIDANCE

Motivation
Motivation is important for business because it is the strong, driving force that can mean the
difference between failure and success in business. Of course we are all unique, so what
motivates one person in business won't necessarily work for the next. There are two types of
motivation. nternal motivational forces come from within and are tied to your thoughts and
emotions. !xternal factors are things around you that provide motivation, like earning a
prestigious award or earning more this year than last year.
". nspiration # is what keeps you moving toward your goals. f you lose interest in your
business, you lose motivation which can negatively affect your business. On the
other hand, when you are excited about what you do, your energy and motivation
practically fly through the roof. t is important to take an honest look at your business
to make sure that you are truly inspired by what you do. nspiration is what will keep
you motivated to keep going during the challenging stages every businesses goes
through, otherwise you will wind up losing interest.
$. %etting &usiness 'oals # businesses are encouraged to set long(term and short(term
goals to remain focused and on course with their business plan. )our goals are what
establish the course of your business. *rite them down in a business plan. )ou may
be surprised to find out how much perspective you can get from goals, strategies and
deadlines in writing. This gives you the motivation needed to accomplish all of your
plans. Make sure to review these goals frequently throughout the year to make sure
you are staying on track.
+. ,eeps Momentum 'oing # motivation helps you keep going, and that-s especially
important during challenging times. *hen you are doing a task that is not interesting
to you, it can be hard to stay motivated to see it through. f you have difficulty
maintaining momentum, consider partnering with another business owner as an
accountability partner. )ou can share your short(term and long(term goals and help
one another maintain motivation so that you do not lose much needed momentum.
.. /etworking # networking with other business owners can inspire motivation. There is
something about a group of people with similar goals supporting one another that
fires up motivation and reminds you of why you started your business and where you
want to take it. t is important to connect with others in business regularly online and
off. )ou can offer one another support in your individual ventures, share ideas and
perhaps even come together for a potentially profitable 0oint venture.
1. 2ewards # it is important to reward yourself from time to time. f all you do is focus on
business you will burn out and your motivation will level off significantly. Make plans
to step away from your business on a regular basis. 3or example, a weekend break
after five days of nothing but work allows you to relax, recharge and approach work
on Monday refreshed, motivated and ready to go. t is also important to take time to
get away on a short trip or two, especially if you have a family so that you remain
connected. )ou can also reward yourself with material gifts to motivate you to meet
business goals and milestones.
Business Motivation Guidance
&usiness motivation is about motivating employees and customers alike. 4ccording to a
recent research, those organi5ations which are successful look after the emotional well(
being of their employees and hence score better on the business motivation factor. &ut like
every single concept or plan, motivation also involves some basic rules. 6et's see for
ourselves "7 business motivation rules that you must know8
". 3ormulate an Ob0ective # to formulate an ob0ective, is the first rule of motivation and
then progress further. f a firm wants its employees to achieve higher levels of
productivity and fetch them more revenues, it should first check how contented their
employees are with the existing levels of motivation.
$. 4ccomplish )our 4ims # the second rule of business motivation is to accomplish your
plans and ob0ectives. )ou need to work on anything and everything that crosses your
way. n business, there is nothing very small or too big.
+. nitiate 9iscussions with 6ike(Minded :eople # when you mingle with people with big
ideas and high aspirations, a positive attitude is likely to take better hold of you. )ou
may as well create a business group to keep the spark of motivation ignited in both
your heart and mind.
.. &e !ager to 6earn # the willingness to learn goes a long way in paving the path of
business motivation. 4gain, learning alone does not help you succeed. )ou need to
apply in reality whatever you learnt in the due course of time.
1. ;ombine )our Talent with :ersonal nterest # this should be done in such a way that
will help you become empowered. 3or instance, you like surfing net and your natural
talent lies in writing. 'o ahead and enrol in some writing programs that will let you
surf the net and earn some extra bucks by writing articles. 4lways remember that
motivation is temporary, but empowerment lingers around for a long while.
<. !nhance ,nowledge that Motivates # you may simply go ahead and read a book to
enhance your motivation level. %ometimes when you talk to people who share similar
views on sub0ects of your interest help achieve business motivation.
=. /ever be 4fraid to Take 2isks # 'do not fear failure' is another popular rule of
motivation. The more you become afraid of failure, the more you will lose your
chance to succeed. %o take risks and remain motivated.
>. 3eel 2esponsible # take responsibility and complete the task assigned to you. This
will definitely help you achieve higher levels of business motivation.
?. Make )our ;ontribution Meaningful # whatever you do to keep the motivation levels
going strong in your workplace or business, you should make sure that they pay in
the long run rather than 0ust fetch futile results.
"7. 9o /ot Moneti5e on Motivation # business motivation is not only about money but a
lot more. t helps you gain peace of mind and at the same time help you perform
better at work. Of course, that involves monetary gains in the long run but nothing as
of immediate.