Introduction
Running a business on your own can be challenging and overwhelming. And if you’re a creative, sensitive, spiritual type? Getting out of that rut can feel like swimming in molasses: it’s slow, sticky, uncomfortable and impossible to pull yourself out of.
But don’t give up. We’re about to cover strategies that’ll get you unstuck and feeling better in no time.
Why These 3 Steps are Crucial if You’re a Creative Type in Business for Yourself
I’ve written this specifically for creative, sensitive, spiritual types because the usual advice on “how to stay motivated in business” doesn’t work.
How do I know this? Lots of struggle.
I’ve hired several different coaches, paid them LOTS of money, and after a few months of working with them, had to move on and deal with my challenges head on. I finally learned – simply by developing more personal awareness – what was going on with me and how to deal with my roadblocks.
As creative, sensitive, spiritual types running our own business or side hustle, we can’t gloss over these steps.
This just happened to me again recently (hey, I’m human) and since it’s still fresh in my mind, I’ll share the steps along with my own insights.
Oh, and the best part? These steps take muuuch less time than you’d think.
This simple 3 step process is designed to give you more inspiration to be effective, efficient, and productive in your business life.
Here Are the 3 Exact Steps You Need to Follow to Stay Motivated in Business
- Identify the feeling you’re feeling.
- Identify the feeling you want.
- Allow the insights to flow.
Let’s break these down:
Step 1. Identify the feeling you’re feeling.
No need to get comfortable and meditative. Just get it out. Feel it fully, let it rip.
For me: Frustrated, overwhelmed, empty, blah, down, stuck, desperate, looking for new ideas, want to change my whole thing, want to give up.
There it is. The benefit of getting it out of your head (and heart) is achieving some truly freeing objective awareness. You can write it all down, mumble it out loud, or simply think out the feelings you’re feeling.
Then, like magic, those feelings loosen their grip. They’re no longer lurking unnoticed in the shady background of your mind. They’re now exposed in the bright sunshine of your awareness.
At this point, and already in step 1, this shift in awareness will give you some much needed space. Constriction feels crappy. Space feels great.
Step 2. Identify the feeling you want.
As in the previous step, there may be lots of feelings – this time, feelings you want to feel.
Start with the phrase “I want to feel…”.
For me: I want to feel excited, enthusiastic, creative flow, in the flow, enjoyment, joy, using my skills, purposeful, like I’m going somewhere great but also enjoying the process.
It’s not hard to come up with these, right?
In under 2 minutes we’ve accomplished so much. We’ve got total awareness of the feelings we’re feeling, the feelings we want to feel, and a little extra breathing room.
Did you also notice there’s a giant chasm between those crappy feelings and the good feelings you want to have?
We’re now primed for step 3.
Step 3. Allow answers and insights to flow.
Observe.
What answers and insights come up for you?
For you, step 3 could look like:
- Meditation where you ask a question and wait for an answer
- Inspired action, like opening a favorite book, notes, journal
- Pacing and thinking aloud
For me…
I felt inspired to get my notebook from a spiritual session I had with a teacher I love. I reviewed my notes and was happy to rediscover a little chart I scribbled out. It was about striking a balance between what I’m doing and how I’m being.
At this point, insights started to flow.
I realized “I’m not being myself.” This was a huge wake-up call / slap in the face, clearly showing me the source of my frustration! How could I feel the feelings I wanted when I wasn’t being true to my nature?
I realized that my actions (empty and out of alignment with my integrity) didn’t make me feel good; that by nature, this approach couldn’t possibly lead to success; and that all this made me want to give up, change direction or find some other extreme solution.
My desired feelings came flooding in. I felt a lightness, a buoyancy, inspired, and yes – I felt motivated again.
And then, answers:
I revamped my whole approach. I was now clearly able to see how I could be in integrity by bringing more of my true self into the picture. I was excited about my business again, and able to follow the processes and proven strategies I’d signed up for in the first place.
I knew, without needing proof, that my new inspired approach would be the best possible fuel for my business.
So, there’s my mostly-unedited experience with this 3-step process on how to get motivated in business again.
A Few Helpful Reminders
As a business owner, you’re putting yourself out there, and by nature, it’s uncomfortable.
Feeling unmotivated is unpleasant. Unchecked, it can lead to desperate measures that take us down the wrong path, or delay what we truly want.
Allowing space is key. Meditation, a few quiet moments, whatever you can manage.
This 3-step process is logical by nature, and leads to logical and measured outcomes.
What Happens After Step 3?
Once you’re feeling motivated again, you’ll probably want to take action on the next obvious task. This might be the task you were stuck on before, or a new one that needs your attention.
If the next action is unclear, you can review more ways to build motivation and momentum into your business. Please don’t tackle all these, just see what pops out for you from this list:
- Revisit your vision and goals. Remind yourself of the initial inspiration behind starting your business. Reflect on your long-term goals and consider if they still align with your current values and passions.
- Celebrate small victories. Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, to help maintain motivation and boost your confidence.
- Seek support from others. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people, such as friends, family, or other entrepreneurs, who can offer guidance and encouragement.
- Take breaks and practice self-care. Ensure that you are taking regular breaks and prioritizing self-care to avoid burnout and maintain mental and emotional well-being.
- Focus on what you can control. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by external factors, but focusing on what you can control will help you stay motivated and engaged with your business.
- Learn from setbacks. Embrace failure as a learning opportunity and use these experiences to grow and improve your business.
- Stay organized. Develop effective time management and organizational skills to minimize stress and maintain productivity.
- Find inspiration. Seek inspiration from other entrepreneurs, books, podcasts, or any source that can ignite your passion and motivation for your business.
- Set realistic expectations. Understand that success doesn’t happen overnight and that it’s essential to set achievable goals and be patient with the process.
- Remember your ‘why’. Always keep in mind the reasons why you started your business and the impact you want to make. This will help you stay committed and motivated, even during challenging times.
Final Thoughts
As creative, sensitive, spiritual types (like any personality type), we have our strengths and challenges.
Facing these challenges head-on makes us better humans running better businesses.
By teaching you resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to master your own psychology in a mindful way, you can tackle business and life challenges with greater ease.
This practice also helps you develop a greater sense of self-confidence, allowing you to take risks and push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
Most importantly, practicing these three steps can become second nature, no big deal. You’ll get a better sense of when these feelings of overwhelm come up and how to deal with them quickly and efficiently.
