In the process of serving DOZENS of women in the digital marketing landscape, I’ve noticed one common denominator that seems to be holding even the smartest and most talented CEOs back from achieving their business goals: motivation.

Believe it or not, the problem many business owners face has nothing to do with their strategy or business approach. Instead, it all comes back to mindset (as I’ve said many times before), and in particular, how your motivation relates to your mindset. 

But before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight. The title of this blog post is purposefully misleading. If you want superwoman levels of motivation every single day, all day, all year, you’re in for major disappointment. It just isn’t possible.

What IS possible is making slight tweaks to your mindset, actions, and daily routine that will foster a general atmosphere and attitude of motivation. This way, you’re able to do the things you need to do to keep your business and personal life afloat while still enjoying the occasional “lazy day.” 

So, where to start?

• Set goals.
  I know you’ve heard it a hundred times before, but don’t roll your eyes at goal-setting! There’s a reason it is so widely cited as a practice that fosters motivation and encourages action-taking. When you set a goal, you’re making a mental commitment to yourself to follow through with behavior that will allow you to achieve a desired outcome — so even on those days when you’re not feeling the most motivated, your greater purpose of reaching your goal will drive you forward.

• Create a plan.
  Once you have a goal in place, a plan is what will allow you to break it into the measurable steps you need to take to get it done. Planning is a great motivation driver because it makes the process of achieving your goal more manageable by introducing measurable milestones you can use to stay on top of your progress.

• Tackle procrastination head on.
  Ah, procrastination — it’s something so many of us struggle with as business owners, mums, and humans in general. If you find yourself constantly making excuses or rationalising why you haven’t started a particular task or project yet, it’s time to uncover the real reason for the delay and get to work immediately. Messy, imperfect action is always better than no action at all.

• Keep it fun.
  Basic science states that the main driver of human motivation is pleasure — so naturally, integrating more fun and joy into your daily routine and business operations is going to make you more inclined to push forward. This will look different for everybody. Maybe it means focusing more heavily on the topics you feel the most passionate about, or treating yourself to a gift when you reach a milestone. Whatever this looks like for you, embrace it!

• Enlist in support.
  Running a business while balancing the trials and tribulations of everyday life is hard work, as I’m sure you already know — so why make it even more difficult by insisting on doing it alone? Instead, enlist the help you need when you need it, so that you don’t get hit with a major case of burnout. I personally have support in my business and around the house — and I’m not ashamed to say that without it, I wouldn’t get nearly as much done!

The truth is, life is always going to be a delicate balance. No matter how hard you try, there WILL be days that you just don’t feel like it. And that is OKAY. Motivation comes and goes — but as long as you make a point to recenter yourself and recommit to your goals, the occasional lapse will do you no harm. 

How do you typically stay motivated? Let me know in the comments!