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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Maintaining
Your Motivation
A personal motivation plan may be just what you need.
by Kelley Robertson
I recently spoke to a group
of sales professionals at the end of their training conference. The
attendees had participated in many learning sessions over a two-day
period—most of which were product related. I was scheduled to
speak after dinner and I was somewhat concerned how attentive they
would be by this time.
Fortunately, in the days preceding the conference, the company had
structured the entire program to create energy, excitement and to
foster a sense of team enthusiasm. They had a theme and encouraged
their vendors to incorporate the theme into each of their individual
presentations.
They awarded prizes for the team with the most energy and the highest
level of participation and by the time dinner was served, the group
was pumped. They were excited. And they were highly motivated and
charged up. When I left that evening, I knew that these individuals
would bring a renewed energy and drive to their work place. I was
also confident that the company would see a definite increase in their
sales in the weeks to follow.
It reminded me how motivational a conference, training workshop or
corporate gathering can be. It reinforced the importance of participating
in sessions like these on a regular basis, if for no other reason,
but to ignite our own personal motivation.
TIME TO RECHARGE
Running a business is tiring, stressful and challenging. Small business
owners are required to wear many hats, often at the same time, while
executives of large organizations often have more problems and politics
to manage on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for the business to
drain our energy and motivation, regardless of how much we enjoy the
business.
If you do not take time to recharge your batteries and refresh your
perspective it is easy to find yourself frustrated with your business.
That is why it is imperative to have a personal motivation plan in
place. This means taking advantage of opportunities that will help
you maintain your motivation. Here are few suggestions to help get
you started.
SIX-STEP PROGRAM
1. Attend a personal development workshop.
Identify an area in your business or personal life that you would
like to improve.
At the beginning of each year, I determine what types of programs
I want to attend and begin looking for them. I find that these sessions
give me a short break from the daily grind of my business and help
me see things from a different perspective.
Training programs, night courses or weekend seminars that focus on
a specific topic can give you a much needed boost in your energy.
2. Join a Master Mind group. Meeting
with other like-minded people can help you see your business from
a different perspective.
An effective group will have between six and eight members from a
variety of industries and will usually meet several times a year.
If you have the right chemistry between members, these meetings not
only will help you improve your business, they also will motivate
you to try new approaches and market your business differently.
3. Exercise. I am an avid
runner and have completed two marathons and several half marathons.
I occasionally find myself in a position when I cannot run for a period
of time due to illness, injury or the demands of work. Without fail,
I notice a decrease in my personal motivation during these times.
Regular exercise helps your body work more effectively and efficiently.
Although I usually catch myself thinking about work related issues
during my runs, I often notice that I develop more creative solutions
when I am exercising.
4. Read or listen to motivational material.
Instead of reading the daily newspaper with breakfast or coffee in
the morning, try reading inspirational material instead.
A well-written book that offers sound advice is more motivating than
reading about the latest market declines. Listening to motivational
tapes or CDs in your car for one hour every day actually can give
you the equivalent of a university degree in a few years’ time.
5. Take time off. It is not a
badge of honor to state, “I’m too busy to take time off.”
In today’s fast-paced business world, it is critical to take
time off for vacation and rest and relaxation. Even a long weekend
away from your business can be restful. A true vacation also means
completely avoiding e-mail and voice mail. Yes, you will have hundreds
of messages to deal with when you return, but you will have a renewed
focus and energy to do it.
6. Associate with positive people.
I have made it a point in the latter part of my career to distance
myself from negative individuals. They drain your energy, will not
support your goals and desires and do little to motivate you.
On the other hand, positive and optimistic people will uplift your
spirits and help you through challenging times.
Kelley Robertson, president of the Robertson Training Group (www.RobertsonTraining
Group.com), works with businesses to help them increase their
sales and motivate their employees. He is the author of “Stop,
Ask & Listen—Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into
buyers.” You can receive a free copy of “100 Ways to Increase
Your Sales” by subscribing to Robertson’s 59-Second Tip,
a free weekly e-zine . |
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