_edited.png)
Wieeee. I made it through the second week of being an entrepreneur of my coaching business. To be honest, it has been a rollercoaster emotional ride, juggling workload from my freelance consultancy job in a different time zone, learning and building the publicity of my business (thank the Lord for "What is SEO?" YouTube videos!), conducting sessions for clients and being present for the relationships at hand. Also, I think I spent WAY TOO MUCH time entertaining doubting thoughts and voices that seek to sabotage my dreams.
I suppose when we embark on our dream journey, it is so essential to keep our motivation and hope levels high. In an article published by USA Today, decades of research show hope is a robust predictor of mental health. Having hope for our lives makes our lives more enjoyable, provides resilience against things like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. Scientifically, the more hope we have, the higher endorphins (our happy hormones) we have and hence lowering our stress levels and hence a more productive life. Hope is believing that things are going to work out and we're not sure how. It's hope that fuels our motivation in whatever we do.
Hence, as we are navigating this uncertain and potentially overwhelming season where our hope will definitely be tested, here are a couple of tips on how to stay motivated and hopeful.
5 Tips on How to Stay Motivated and Hopeful
Redefine Success and Set Appropriate Goals
As a business owner navigating the whole new realm of digital marketing, I had to take a position that the number of Instagram followers and likes is not a great success metric. At least for now. I feel like at times we are too quick to measure success in terms of numbers and dollar value. I had to sit down and ponder on the question, "What does success look like?". "Can my goals be reduced to bite-sized goals?" For me since I am more intrinsically motivated by purpose, I resolved that a good success metric for me is whether each client I meet goes away feeling and thinking better than when they first entered the session. Things to consider when setting goals:
(Factors to consider in setting your goals) (Example of setting realistic weight loss goals)
(1) Appropriate timeframe:
You don't want it to be too long of a timeframe else you might feel demotivated because "why is it so freaking long?!". You don't want it to be too short either because it is just way too stressful to be measuring success every single moment. Bite sized goals are highly effective and helps keep you on track mentally, emotionally and towards your "big" goal.
(2) Realistically attainable:
This is probably best determined by you at your current capacity and environment. If you are currently in depression, a great win is getting up from bed and changing from your pjs. Or if you are a working mum with 3 kids, probably getting in a 30 minutes workout seems more achievable than an hour workout + 30 minutes yoga.
(3) Priority:
If the goal is of little importance to you, you probably won't be a as motivated to do it. Depending on your personality. you may set a definite day to do it and smash it in an hour. Or you may set a longer timeframe and complete small steps.
Root Yourself in Like-Minded Relationships
In short, don't share your dreams to dream-killers! Sometimes we really need friends to pull us up when we are feeling down. Here are some factors that I consider when I am choosing my mentors and friends:
(1) Encouraging and believes in me all the way
(2) Similar core values. For example, since of my core values is having integrity, I tend to be wary of counsel who pays bribes in their business dealings
(3) Wise and experienced in the journey that I am currently in
Rest, Relax and Have Fun!
Scientists studying brain scans recently discovered that moments of creativity take place when the mind is at rest rather than working on something. It is no wonder that the Jews and Christians are encouraged to rest on the Sabbath Day. I realise when I am tired physically, I tend to be a lil more snappy and less patient with people. Hence, set good boundaries for yourself and be intentional to rest. Go for a long walk, watch Squid Games, be present with your family and friends :)
Refocus Your Attention
Refocus your time and energy towards that brings you life. Be intentional of what you feed yourself. Gloomy news, endless scrolling of social media, binging on Netflix may be ok for short down time activities but you don't want to be too sucked into them. Personally, when I was in need of a boost to my hope level, I was intentional to put on successful business related podcasts so that I can be inspired by their stories. I particularly loved this podcast with Nancy Vuu, the founder of Nancy Vuu Couture Collection and has been featured on magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar etc. (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7uHfqFZ4P1CFoJmyZXYLh5?si=-I1yS2iiTuW8VRVsjaitRQ&dl_branch=1 )
Remind Yourself of Why You Do What You Do
Super key to keep your eyes on the prize. When we pursue our dreams especially if they are disruptive to the norm, we are bound to face resistance and challenges. And that's why it's so important to remind ourselves of who we are, what we are capable of doing and why we are doing this in the first place. I love to remind myself of God's faithfulness and how He has carried me through all the challenges I had in the past. And then I extrapolate that to my current situation. If He has done it before, He can and will do it again. My past victories are a testament for my future victories.
Hope this was a meaningful read for you. If you or a friend are in need of hope and motivation, do reach out for a free 15 minutes consultation (https://www.picktime.com/d0c31a4d-d885-45ad-a0a9-83cb56c53d18 ) and I would love to help you out!
In the meantime, your girl is celebrating herself and enjoy being tortured in the gym :p
#startingabusiness #career #Hope #coachingbusiness #coaching #womanbusiness #motivation #Dreams #howtostaymotivatedandhopeful #freelance #goals #settinggoals
References:
https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/neuroscience-relaxing-makes-you-more-creative.html