January typically sees both business owners and individuals in a flurry of activity, making resolutions and eagerly setting out to achieve these new goals. However, change rarely comes easily, and by the time February arrives, many people have already abandoned resolutions for the old, comfortable routine. With one-twelfth of the year already gone, it may be time to refocus on what is important, what needs to change and the most efficient way to accomplish goals.
New Year’s resolutions are great, but goals that will bring about long-term improvement are more important. Finding the motivation to meet these goals can be a tall order, especially as mundane tasks and unexpected frustrations often thwart the most sincere efforts. In these situations, motivation may be scarce, tempting business owners to simply give up on their goals or assume that they may never reach a certain level of success.
In moments of doubt, it can be beneficial to look at the struggles and accomplishments of other successful entrepreneurs, take note of how they overcame diversity and take their words of advice to heart. For example, Mark Cuban, famous billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has this to say about the importance of hard work: “Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don’t do it.” A good dose of motivation may come from simply remembering the why of a business and refocusing on who is impacted by the success of a business: employees, family and the community.
Kevin O’Leary, another self-made billionaire has this to say about success, “I have had some great successes and great failures. I think every entrepreneur has. I try to learn from all of them.” Anyone, from a business owner to stay-at-home mom, can benefit from reviewing mistakes and resolving to learn from them. Business owners in particular should constantly evaluate their successes and attempt to derive what made these ideas work. Honest, careful and constant evaluation can be a great motivator.
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” This quote from Vince Lombardi is a reminder that a lack of motivation or enthusiasm is not an excuse for a poor effort. It is great to feel motivated and excited about a task or goal, but sometimes it is necessary to just do the work and allow the emotional connection to catch up later.
With approximately 92 percent of the year still left, there is plenty of time to revitalize plans for improvement in 2015. Dig deep to find motivation, move forward and put in the hard work necessary to meet New Year’s goals.
