Every entrepreneur
will experience a ‘dark night’ in their journey as they work towards making the
world a better place. That moment in your entrepreneurial journey when suddenly
things don’t seem to make sense; and the reason why you started is blurred or
rather over shadowed by the external pressure at the moment.
Entrepreneurs
have been described generally as those rare individuals who are blessed with
enough internal motivation to get up at dawn, be the first one in the office,
work all day to serve as a role model, and usually end up turning off the
lights at the office at the end of a work day way past 5 pm. And [i]after
they get home, they fret all night about decisions they have to make the next
day.
Implementing
change for social good can be an overwhelming and daunting task. It is often
too easy for entrepreneur to
become dismayed with the enormity of their end goals, and the complications of
unforeseen obstacles encountered along the way. To successfully drive our
vehicles of social good, we need to deliberately manage our motivation.
Motivation
is essential to the success of your enterprise. While we often read of success
stories that serve as our initial catalyst, we rarely hear how to navigate
day-to-day struggles, frustration, and failures. If we don't plan for setbacks
or keep a realistic view on our progress, our motivation can be curbed and our
dreams dwindle.
Your
motivation may start to decline as you become despondent and begin to feel that
your goal is insurmountable. By breaking down your goals into more manageable
objectives, you can stay focused and motivated.
Understanding
that failure is not fatal but instead is a productive opportunity for growth
can minimize any loss of motivation caused by countless setbacks. By viewing
these struggles as positive learning experiences, you can keep your motivation
high and increase your small wins.
Anyone
who has started their own business, nonprofit or social enterprise knows it can
be lonely. Friends and family might not understand your passion or be able to
relate to what you are trying to accomplish. It is important to keep yourself
surrounded by people who understand your struggles and can assist and motivate
you.
This
provides the opportunity to collaborate with others who may be facing similar
struggles or can offer you advice. It also has the added benefit of increasing
your brand exposure to a like-minded and receptive community.
Any
time you feel discouraged, take a minute and remember what Thomas Edison said,
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. Many of life's failures are men who
did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. The most
certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.” And remember what
Napoleon Hill said, “Most people achieved their greatest success one step
beyond what looked like their greatest failure.” Like they say; ‘when the going
gets tough, the tough get going”.
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