2 Ways to Increase Motivation in Your Business and Light You Up

Today we’re going to share 2 ways to increase motivation in your business to keep you going this week.

Ready?  Here we go.

Do you ever notice you procrastinate on a task when you are jived about it?

Do you ever put off something that you’re passionate about in other words?  Honestly?  Can you think of one thing?  Probably not, right?

That’s because when we express our passions that in and of itself is an intrinsic motivator.  An intrinsic motivator is something you want to do because it makes you feel good about doing it.  The activity lights you up.

If you love the way you feel, for instance, when you work out (the adrenaline, the stress relief, the energy you get from a good work out) chances are you like to get to the gym and you even schedule time to get there because it makes you feel all that good.  Conversely, if there is something you are not exciting about getting to (i.e. for me it would be something like switching hosting and moving files from one of my blogs to another hosting platform) then that “to do” item stays on the back burner.  Darn, I still have to do that.

The same concept takes shape when you are working on your small business internet marketing efforts.  If you are passionate about blogging, for instance – which Cenay, Deontee, and Carol, and I can attest to – you will schedule time to write your blog posts because it brings you joy.

The Motivation in Your Business Stems from Identifying Your Passions and Core Personal and Business Values

1) Identify your core values:

You won’t really get what makes you tick until you’ve identified what your core values are.  And in order for you to attract the right clients your core personal and business values must be the same.

Never sacrifice making a client happy by sacrificing your core values.  If you don’t know what your core values, are, however, you won’t know if you should be doing business with one type of client.  Just as we are intrinsically motivated to take action on things we have a passion for, when we uphold our beliefs and carry out those values we believe in, we maintain our integrity, and that keeps us happy.

Within the last few days I’ve had a recurring conversation with several business partners and friends concerning expressing your core values in your small business blog, website or at seminars.

It is most often the case that most small business owners and entrepreneurs believe that in order to conduct business they have to catch all the fish they can in order to increase their bottom line. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

By expressing WHO you are you express who your business is.  Your business and your values and energy are one and the same.

You breathe life into your business by honoring your core values and expressing them clearly so that you can attract the right clients for you.

Sometimes you are better off referring clients to “competitors” that might better serve their interests because when you service someone’s whose core values are not in alignment with yours it becomes a pain to work with that customer.

Today, for instance, I placed a home warranty claim to get my home air conditioning fixed.  I called one company to schedule a visit but they couldn’t come out to check on my A/C before this Friday.  Today being Monday, I told the woman that Friday would be too long to wait.  She understood completely and recommended nonchalantly, but in a caring tone of voice, that I call my home warranty company and get another company to service us.  The woman passed up on business because perhaps one of her core values was fast reliable service. The company could not offer what I wanted so I got passed up.  They win because they don’t make a customer upset, and I win because I find another company to get here more quickly and take care of the problem.  That company would rather hold true to their values than accept any type of business.

So, list your top 5 personal values and ensure they match your business values.

When you accept a client that does not share the same value system, you hear a big “ERRRRR” sound (like on a game show).  When this is the case, you don’t have any intrinsic motivation to uphold a value system you don’t believe in and get frustrated.  When you sacrifice your values for the sake of gaining business, you and your customer end up being unsatisfied with each other.  And we know working with customers we don’t want to work with can be demotivating in and of itself!

2) Identify Your Passions –

Just as your core values are important, identifying and focusing on work that allow you to express your passions will get you motivated.

Are you passionate about article or blog writing, public speaking, or making connections online?  Are you passionate about Search Engine Optimization or Copy writing?  Focus on what gets you most excited.

Write down your top 3 passions and how you can use those passions in your online marketing.  If you are a passionate public speaker making good use of video content, as opposed to audio/podcasts, on your website or blog would light you up and keep you more productive in your online marketing efforts.

Would you rather write your blog posts or create an audio file first and then have that transcribed into a blog post?  If you’re more of the talkative type then, you probably don’t want to type!

We all have personal preferences that when done the way that makes you happy, can motivate you to complete those “to dos.”

I’ll leave you with a quote:

Know yourself and you will win all battles. – Sun Tzu

Are there any other ways, tips or techniques you use to increase the motivation in your business?  Share them with us!

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About The Author

Dali Burgado, also known as "The Dali Blogger" teaches creative entrepreneurs how to carve a web presence that connects with their Inner Guru and their target audience. Her first online marketing love is SEO. She's an avid connector on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. When she's not coaching or teaching, she's tweaking sites for Search Engine Visibility, working on her PHP and Javascript coding skills, Singing Opera, or learning about gardening. Circle Dali on Google+