9 great ways to always remain inspired in business
It isn't easy to stay inspired all the time.
Ex-Apprentice contestant Raj Dhonota gives his nine top tips for staying on the
ball at all times.
Staying inspired in business isn't always easy,
especially if your business is just "ticking over", feels like it’s
going under or maybe you've been successful for some time now but no longer
feel challenged.
So how do you stay inspired? Here are some tips to
get you fired up again. They are ones that I use myself on a regular basis if I
feel my batteries need recharging or my motivation slipping a little and
believe me - they really do work:
1. Networking. But with particular groups of people – those that
are already more successful than you are. Meeting up with successful
individuals will give you that extra little push to forge forward with your own
business ideas.
2. Vision. I'm not talking about your business here, but your
own personal vision. Knowing that your business will allow you to retire early
and spend more quality time with your family in the long run, travel or take up
that hobby you love full time is a perfect way to get fired up again.
3. Coaching. This can be a great way of not just inspiring
yourself, but others too. In going over the basics and seeing the enthusiasm of
your class, it reminds you of the reasons why you went in to business in the
first place. Enthusiasm can be incredibly infectious, I've found. This method
of inspiring yourself can also prove to be another income stream too, of
course.
4.
Compartmentalise. Break down
projects into milestones and celebrate little achievements along the way rather
than hanging on for an ultimate goal (i.e. reaching a certain amount of sales,
etc). That way you'll be continually reminded of how well you're doing and it
will give you the inspiration you need to continue.
5. Spread the word.
Richard Branson's
way of motivating himself may seem a little weird –it's to spill the beans, as
it were (i.e. to tell others about his latest idea). The more he talks about
it, he reckons, the more it becomes a reality to him. This method also has the
added bonus of attracting potential investors.
6. Get feedback. With so many social media channels around today
(Facebook, Twitter, etc) it's easy to get direct and honest feedback from
customers. Appreciative customers can always inspire you to improve the
business to make them even more delighted. Social media is also a great
marketing tool for your brand.
7. Friendship. Befriend a competitor if you can (or at least
someone in the same industry) and have a weekly chat about what you've both
achieved that week, how the industry itself is faring and what you can both do
together to improve it. It's a form of accountability where you're both
inspiring each other.
8. New
opportunities. This is best
way to avoid complacency and inspire yourself at the same time.
9. Reminders. Keep a file of all those inspiring entrepreneurial
quotes you come across and read it every now and again to remind you of why you
went in to business for yourself in the first place.
The above all worth putting into practice and are
certainly ideas I've used from time to time. What about you? How do you remain
inspired on a day to day basis?
Raj Dhonota
is a serial entrepreneur and investor in start-up businesses. Raj first came to
the public eye as a candidate on the first series of The Apprentice in 2009 but has
essentially been self-employed and involved in starting and growing businesses
for over 15 years.