What the NFL Taught Me About Being a Motivated Entrepreneur Entrepreneurs, just like athletes, need to stay motivated to make it through the trials and tribulations of launching and running a business. Some days it is tougher than others. Here are some tips on staying motivated all day long.
By Matt Mayberry Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Let's face it, entrepreneurs and business owners deal with more stress, challenges and setbacks than most. As the going gets hard, motivation levels tend to decrease drastically.
The experience and amount of hardships that come along with entrepreneurship is a lot like a roller coaster. Things start off slow, then, in a blink of an eye rapidly shoot out the gate, offering up plenty of twists and turns along the way. Hopefully, at the end of the ride your arms are high in the air in complete satisfaction.
That said, those twist and turns are trying times where pressure and frustration may have you second guessing what exactly it is you got yourself into. That's why it's very important we take control of our emotions and find ways to fire ourselves up.
As a former professional athlete, I had to constantly program my mind and motivate myself even in the midst of some of the most difficult times in my life. These are the exact same strategies I have been implementing into my everyday life for the past ten years which have helped me achieve some audacious goals as an entrepreneur, a path that has afforded me the opportunity to be a professional speaker, fit-life strategist, fitness and health expert, author and high-performance business coach.
Related: 10 Things I Learned While Training for the Olympics That Absolutely Apply to Business
Here is what I have learned along the way about staying motivated all day long.
Carry a 'trigger card' around with you everywhere you go. I call it a "trigger" card because one glance at this notecard should have you fired up and ready to take things to the next level immediately. It consists of writing your two most important goals on a notecard in the present tense as if you already accomplished them. On the flip side of the card, pick two to three quotes that really move and inspire you. Whenever you are feeling down or unmotivated, pull your trigger card out and read it over a few times.
Talk to yourself like a champion. Thinking positive and empowering thoughts is one thing but talking to yourself like a champion, reconditions your thought process in an instant. With power and conviction, repeat phrases such as, "I am the greatest at what I do," "There is nothing that I can't do when I fully commit myself," and "There is nothing ordinary about me. I am a champion."
Related: Yes, You Can Be Happy While Pushing Yourself to Success
Rewrite your goals at some point throughout the day. It is important to pick a time (or two) during the day to rewrite your goals. From my experience, I have observed that a majority of people have goals wandering around in their head, yet, only a small percentage have clear, written out goals and an even smaller percentage rewrite their goals daily. Throughout our hectic day we become very susceptible to fall off track and forget about what we are striving towards. This alone can take motivation levels to the next level throughout the work day.
Search for ways to grow and invest in your personal development. This is a complete game changer. Constantly feed your mind with material that will uplift your spirit and help you grow in your line of work. Try turning off the music and indulging in a good audio book during your commute to work. Read for 10 to 15 minutes on your lunch break. Reach out to a friend or mentor who always seems to leave you in a more positive and motivated place.
