8 Motivational tips for entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur means that you will often blaze you own trail. No career guides, counselor or maps will guide you from one step to the next. You have to make it up as you go. Here are some tips to keep you entrepreneurs motivated.

 1. Keep the big vision in sight.

A big vision will take you far. When things go wrong on the path to your success, and they will, keeping the big vision in mind will enable you to steer your way back to a successful course. It may not always be the course you imagined, but your big vision becomes your north star, which in turn helps you navigate and orient yourself through the darkness. Your vision is your base, compass and cosmic beacon, lighting the way forward.

2. Fuel your vision with perseverance.

What should go hand-in-hand with a big vision is the perseverance you’ll need to keep moving forward. If you’re a Game of Thrones watcher, there was a great line in a recent episode when Stannis Baratheon was being advised about the lack of wisdom in starting a battle in the snow. He responded: “We march to victory or we march to defeat, but we go forward, only forward.”

Sometimes, when things get challenging on your path as an entrepreneur, you have to commit yourself to moving forward, regardless of the anxiety and fear surrounding the next steps. When you fuel your big vision with determination and the spirit of “only forward,” in time you will meet your success.

3. Make a plan, but be flexible.

You need a few sets of plans, even if each is only a few pages. A business plan, with a complementary marketing outline, are important blueprints for success. They help you map out the major landmarks of the road ahead, state your success and break the journey into important milestones you can track your progress against.

Most people don’t like giant, robust plans nobody will access, but I am a believer in a more modest go-to plan that can act as your basic instruction manual and hold you accountable to specific numbers. The reason most people don’t support highly detailed plans is that they believe you need the flexibility to alter the course as necessary. Sometimes, large changes in a plan will be unavoidable.

4. Embrace your expertise.

If you are already naturally good at something, or have a skillset, embrace it. Don’t try to be all things for all aspects of your business. Hire out or sign contracts with agencies for the things you can’t do, and focus on your strengths as quickly and often as possible. Don’t be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. For all those computer problems remember Apex IT Solutions is here for you ready to provide you with fast, reliable services at affordable rates. We offer computer repair & support, IT consulting, server support, cabling services, and much more.

5. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

What is already working in other people’s business models, in your industry, in software applications and other business operations that you can emulate instead of re-create? Don’t waste your time trying to set up systems when you can simply purchase and install one, saving precious time and spending little money. Sometimes the best decision is to take on the expense of some good systems so you don’t have to waste time and make mistakes building your own.

6. Don’t burn out.

This isn’t a piece of advice. Your health is literally the most important thing in your life. When your body gives out, you’re done. Your heart doesn’t care how good a business you have; your circulatory system isn’t all that impressed with your money or accomplishments. Try to eat really good food, get good sleep and take as much time as you can to enjoy the small things in life. You will burn out if you sacrifice your physical and mental health on the “altar” of your business. So, take care of yourself.

7. Leverage everything.

Learning life hacks may seem cliché, but they can teach you an important mini-lesson in leverage. When you use leverage to your advantage in every aspect of your life, you go further, faster. Leverage outsourced help to streamline tasks and gain traffic time for important phone calls. Leverage down time waiting anywhere (the doctor’s office, your child’s school, your auto shop, an airport) to get stuff done.

8. Keep your sense of humor.

 

If you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re missing out. I too am guilty of not doing this enough however laughing is a good cure to diffuse stress. So put some joy into life and get some perspective on the fact that this is only life after all you don’t have to take it so seriously.

So, try to laugh more and stress a little less. It strengthens your emotional and mental well-being, keeps other people from getting under your skin and keeps you cool and collected, plus it makes you a lot more fun to be around.