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View Full Version : What motivates you when you feel "stuck"?



KarenB
09-04-2008, 02:25 PM
I would love to hear more about one's self-motivation, especially during those times when one might feel "stuck" along their path to business success.

What do you believe motivates a person to continue despite all odds? Is it their spouse, children, parents, themselves, social pressure or perhaps something completely different?

Is it money, fame, security...or something else?

What do you believe truly motivates one to continue although they might be feeling "stuck" at that particular time?

KristineS
09-04-2008, 04:43 PM
I guess what motivates me when I'm stuck is the idea that it will get better. I've had some pretty rough times in my life, and I always believed that if I kept working eventually I'll end up in more positive circumstances. I always did too.

I also have chronic overachiever syndrome and hate to fail. So that helps keep me motivated too.

orion_joel
09-05-2008, 01:06 AM
I think that this is a question that has as many answers as there are people to answer the question. Even while some of the answers may sound the same, there will likely be different motivation behind the answer.

While at the moment for me it seems almost as if nothing is motivating me to make any moves at all in any direction. I am doing some very very small little things which hopefully over the long term will start to snowball.

The one thing that motivates me to want to continue on this path and hopefully do more in the near future, is a want to leave some sort of impression behind me. Not in a bad way but eventually i want to be able to leave a company behind that people recognize and have had a positive reaction to. While the dream would be that it is something really big, i would be happy with something that allows me to be occupied in my own pursuits, and to better the life's of as many employee's as the business can sustain.

Really while i want to do things for myself, i have fully realized that it is not yourself you should do things for. If you do things for others and improve the life's of others then you will be taken care of.

lav
09-05-2008, 05:29 AM
Fear...

Fear of failure, what would my family and friends think of me if I failed at something? When I get in a rut and think this isnt going the way it should Im faced with the question do I let it get worse and fail or do I get off my a** and fix it. For me trying to solve problems and the thought process of how we can do it better gets me excited and motivation kicks in naturally.

Ive also found if Im down and a little depressed I change something to give it new life, for example last year my print business although doing very well wasnt bringing me the joy I had hoped for and I felt bogged down and overloaded with work. My Wife and I decided it was time for a change so we renamed, rebranded, restocked and we are at full steam ahead again, it has given us the same feeling you get when you get that brand new car, all you want to do is drive it, and you start making excuses for using it like "the bread is nicer at that bakery over at charlestown, I'll just duck over and get some even though its an extra 10 miles hehe vrooom vrooom"

vangogh
09-05-2008, 06:16 PM
This one will likely be different for many of us.

When I'm feeling stuck I first just let myself feel that way. I figure there's a reason for those feelings and giving them a chance to be present helps them go away.

Then I try to learn something new. I'll pick up a book on some subject relating to my business and the act of learning very quickly starts filling me with new ideas and picks my spirits back up.

I'm motivated to a degree by the usual needing money to pay the bills and a desire to succeed, but those are really secondary to me. With me it's more about learning new things and enjoying what I do. If I'm feeling in a rut it's likely because I haven't been learning new things or enjoying the day to day. I always know both will come back and when need be I try to give myself a little kick start.

the goat
09-05-2008, 06:47 PM
When I am in a rut I find that it helps to remember how unimportant the business aspect of life really is. It is so easy to get caught up in it and let it affect your life that sometimes I forget that family, friends and health are really what counts.

I step back and remind myself that when it's all over and I am thinking back on my life, I highly doubt I will be thinking about how I could have gotten a few more hits out of my internet marketing campaigns. I will more likely be thinking of the people I love and how they really made my life worth living.

The beauty of it all is that the business goes up and down, but the people you love and that love you are constant, no matter what. I find that it is easy to motivate myself when there is no pressure on me, and reminding myself of how unimportant what I am doing is in the grand scheme of things takes the pressure right off. I am refreshed and ready to get back at it.

KristineS
09-05-2008, 07:44 PM
The beauty of it all is that the business goes up and down, but the people you love and that love you are constant, no matter what. I find that it is easy to motivate myself when there is no pressure on me, and reminding myself of how unimportant what I am doing is in the grand scheme of things takes the pressure right off. I am refreshed and ready to get back at it.

That's a really good point. We sometimes think that business and making money are life and death but they really aren't. What really matters is enjoying life and sharing it with people who care about and love you.

Good reminder.

KristineS
09-05-2008, 07:46 PM
I should also say that one thing that gets me going when I'm confronted by an obstacle is to think of people who have it so much tougher than I do. For instance there's a lady in my office who has rheumatoid arthritis. There are days when she's in so much pain she can hardly move. Yet she still comes to work and still does her job and still enjoys life.

If she can do it, despite being in constant pain, what am I complaining about?

That really does help get me going again.

vangogh
09-05-2008, 10:09 PM
Interesting. I've always found my business to be constant and the people in my life that are always up and down. :)

Actually it's a really good point. It's easy to get caught up in the minutia of business sometimes and getting away from it can help recharge your batteries in addition to making you appreciate why you're working in the first place.

Dan Furman
09-05-2008, 10:26 PM
Two things motivate me:

1) I am a control freak on a personal level. I LOVE having control of my work life. Every time I get down / in a rut, I get up and go to the mall in the middle of the day, visit Best Buy, and buy a DVD or an X-Box game. And while there, I think "damn, I'm lucky to be able to do this." That usually motivates me (plus, I get to watch the movie or play the game when I finish whatever I was working on! :)

2) I really, really like doing excellent work. The work itself usually motivates me. I usually get into ruts and such due to other things (like fighting with my CC processor all day one day... arrrrrrg!!!)

CADesign
09-05-2008, 11:25 PM
When things aren't "clicking", if I get in a rut ...
I try to stop and smell the roses.
My wife is always there with an encouraging word.
I load up the dogs, head for a favorite place and get some exercise.

For me, getting outdoors defrags my hard drive.
When I get back to the office the phone usually rings and it's usually good news.
I feel lucky in this respect, but I think it boils down to life is what it is, we can see that glass as half full or half empty, getting outdoors and being with the ones I love helps me see it as half full. Family and friends help a lot.

Dave
(CADesign)

KarenB
09-09-2008, 02:44 PM
Really while i want to do things for myself, i have fully realized that it is not yourself you should do things for. If you do things for others and improve the life's of others then you will be taken care of.

Good point, Joel.

What goes around eventually comes around.

orion_joel
09-10-2008, 07:17 AM
Dan, i really liked you DVD Xbox, thing. I usually do that but, more often then not get carried away with it and tend to buy 2 or 3 dvd's, though i usually try and stick to one xbox game at a time (considering that i already have about a dozen and none of them more then half completed, if any).

Karen, i just now have to figure out what i can do to follow my own advice, that will get me off the work treadmill. But the problem i find is getting off the work treadmill is for me, although it would allow someone else the chance for promotion.

KarenB
09-10-2008, 08:45 AM
Thanks for sharing everyone.

I read something the other day that was really interesting. One person suggests that instead of keeping a "to-do" list, that you keep a "done" list. That way you can look at your accomplishments and feel motivated to achieve more.

Spider
09-10-2008, 10:55 AM
I generally find that the person who has difficulty staying motivated is one who is on the wrong life track. That doesn't necessarily mean they are in the wrong job or wrong business. And it doesn't necessarily mean they are unhappy with what they are doing - they may just be unhappy with what they are doing at the moment.

I found it interesting that most of the above answers refer to external stimulii for the required motivation - one's spouse, their children, social pressure, money, recognition, what would others think of me if I fail, changing one's location or one's environment. I have found that external matters are only temporary motivators at best. Continuous motivation must come from inside, and if one finds oneself regularly without motivation, it is a good sign you are on a path that is inconsistent with your true desires and values.

Why do I say that? Because if you are living your Life Purpose, you will be automatically and constantly motivated. Do you need to be "motivated" or pumped up, to play with your young children? That motivation is there from the mere fact that they are your children and they are great to play with. They are an integral part of your life and playing with them is consistent with your deepest and most important values and your purpose. (If you don't have kids, then you will have something else that proves the point.)

The answer, therefore, is to bring consistency, or congruity, into your life. Now, this isn't something to be achieved in a few minutes. It takes digging deep to identify your true personal values and through them discover your Life Purpose. Once you have that determined, all you have to do is arrange your life so that your most important values are satisfied and your purpose followed. Once you know your life purpose, these things are easy to arrange and you will find yourself in a permanently motivated state.

Life really is that simple.