7 sources of inspiration to keep you motivated to become a successful entrepreneur
The future depends on what you do today. No matter whether you are already an entrepreneur or passionately thinking about starting a small business, the road towards success will definitely have numerous challenges. Every business has its own ups and downs, but the success of your company depends on how effectively you handle the challenges you find yourself faced with.
Entrepreneurship has the most exciting and inspiring notion to it. Many have become involved in the process solely because of the thrill of building their own enterprise. But sometimes, things get harder, and you’ll hit a wall, where you slip away from positivity and motivation. Though this feeling is temporary, it will compromise the liveliness, creativity, and dedication that you pour into your company. And neglecting this can further shoot up to become a serious problem.
So, whenever you hit such walls and are faced by these bad phases of time, it is important for you to harvest some entrepreneurial inspiration. Here’s how you can go about doing that — Sources of Entrepreneurial Inspiration
1. Read things that matter to you
A successful entrepreneur must read things that matter when it comes to his industry. There are top business magazines like Fortune, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and others, that are worth reading. Such magazines feature business legends that have spent years learning the ropes in the startup world and crafting successful businesses. Inspirational stories about them, their challenges, and how they overcame those adverse conditions, can definitely motivate you.
2. Get some motivational quotes
The internet is loaded with numerous motivational quotes that will keep you going. Search for quotes and interviews of game-changers and leaders in the entrepreneurial community. Sometimes, you may find irrelevant quotes in the lists, however, once you find a quote that truly resonates with you on a personal point, you’ll definitely feel enthused.
The value of an idea lies in the using of it — Thomas Edison.
3. Remember what brought you into entrepreneurship
Take a minute and remember the things that stimulated you to be an entrepreneur. While performing day-to-day responsibilities, it is quite common for you to overlook your true motive behind starting a business. Recalling the objectives, goals and situations that encouraged you to start your company will fill you with inspiration, and will help you deal with the adverse situations you are bound to face in the course of your venture.
4. Have some quiet time
Many entrepreneurs have underestimated the value of having some time off. Many consider work as their first and foremost priority, which is a good thing. But working for long hours can actually be counter-productive, distracting you from focusing on things in the long run. And such distractions can distress you to the extent of hindering the flow of your creative juices.
Taking small breaks can enhance your creativity and productivity. Some entrepreneurs actually meditate to keep motivated and focused towards their work. Others exercise or join a gym to keep stress at bay. Having some alone time can let you focus on the current business plan, business prospects, value addition to your business, employee performance evaluation, and other things.
5. Have a word with your mentor
Your mentor is the one with whom you can share your professional problems and ask for guidance. If you are in the middle of nowhere, just consult your mentor. Or find a new mentor who will guide you in the business world. These are the people who are far more experienced and have a knack for understanding more perspectives than you. You could receive guidance and practical advice from them, which will help you plan coping strategies to reawaken your inner fire.
6. Generate a flow of inspiration within your workforce
For any entrepreneur, it is very difficult to pass on the inspiration that fires you up to your employees. You feel passionate about your business, but it is a tough job to convey the same passion to new hires. Your employees should feel motivated and inspired to do work in your organisation. A strong company culture can help you retain your employees. For instance, an online company that deals in smartphones and tablets, rewards their employees every month for making their contribution to the company. A Hi-Fi card activity is followed, wherein, whenever a person helps another colleague, the colleague gives him/her a Hi-Fi card as a token of thanks. The person who gets the maximum number of cards is again rewarded. Thus, this activity boosts the spirit of helping others.
7. Treat failures as a foundation for future success
Every entrepreneur has to confront obstacles and challenges in their journey. Undoubtedly, a single mistake can turn into a failure. But the true failure is the one that occurs when nothing was learned or changed after the previous misstep. Learning from your own mistakes is of the utmost importance if you intend to become successful.
Consider each new mistake as an opportunity to learn something and gain experience. Use them to find out the best possible solutions to future dilemmas, and try to avoid errors whenever possible. Once you gain enough experience, you’ll positively understand the perspective of momentary failures, and you’ll make sure that they do not occur in future.
Conclusion
I hope these seven strategies to get inspired as an entrepreneur appeal to you. As you try them and put them into action, you will surely feel better. So, act today to feel motivated and inspired. If one approach is not working, then shift to another. Just don’t stop right out. Keep doing things that will help you feel stimulated.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)
