Finding the motivation again

Motivation can be defined as the momentum that spurs us to action. I call it “mojo.” It drives us to our goals. It’s what keeps us going “when the going gets tough.” It’s the excitement and the reason we get to work early and stay late during a busy season. Motivation is within us. No one else can “make” us motivated. It’s totally up to us.

Having a good work-life balance is difficult when you’re so busy. Author Leo Babuta, in his book The Power of Less, has a chapter titled “Slow Down,” where he tells us that, “These days we consume information, food, and media at a breakneck pace that was unimagined even 200 years ago. We have every minute of our schedules packed with errands and tasks and chores, we rush from one place to another, we rush to get ready in the morning, and then collapse into bed at the end of a long, rushed day. … The problem is that we were not made to function this way. Our bodies and minds were made for a slower-paced life … We can’t handle the stresses of constant overload and a constant hectic pace for every waking moment. As a result, we become stressed out, burned out, and unhappy. Learn to move at a slower pace and you will be happier, and just as importantly, you will become more effective and productive.”

Time management experts suggest that when we’re more “rested” in body, mind, and spirit, it’s easier to become motivated toward our end goals. A life/work coach friend shared the following ideas for getting your “mojo” back:

• Get out in the community. Reactivate memberships in community organizations and be visible.
• Get a life! This is a great time to enjoy all the fun and relaxation that got “put off” during busy times. Take time for hobbies. Exercise. Take a course. Start a blog. Get some extra sleep. Read something for enjoyment. Go fishing. Take a real break — get away.
• Read about your goals. Be inspired by learning how others have found success in different business situations.
• Find and cultivate “like-minded” friends who know and understand how it is to ride the roller coaster of business.
• Start and keep a daily journal of thoughts, inspirational quotes, etc.
• Get a business or life coach.
• Reward yourself often. When we’re busy at work, we may tend to forget the importance of celebrating our successes.

Zig Ziglar, (1926–2012), expert salesman and professional speaker said, “Success is not a destination: It is a journey. The happiest people I know are those who are busy working toward specific objectives. The most bored and miserable people I know are those who are drifting along with no worthwhile objectives in mind.”

Getting motivated — getting your “mojo” back — will put you back on track to reach specific life and work objectives!

Click here to sign up for the free IB ezine – your twice-weekly resource for local business news, analysis, voices, and the names you need to know. If you are not already a subscriber to In Business magazine, be sure to sign up for our monthly print edition here.