We all know that when we are passionate about something and are truly motivated to achieve it, anything is possible. We go all out to achieve what we want, we have all the energy we need and, although it may be hard work, we love every minute. We manage to find a way around any obstacles and we don’t listen to people trying to put us off, we are truly in our flow, doing what we love.
If you run your own business in the creative industry you are probably following your passion and doing what you love. However, this may not be the whole story.
There are aspects of working for yourself that can be less appealing and not your area of expertise, for instance the accounts, marketing, sales, IT. Where is the IT department when you need them?
There are times when you may be working long, unsociable hours. You may have lost any work-life balance. There will also be times when work is unpredictable. It can be a case of feast or famine.
So how can you stay motivated?
First of all find your WHY?
Why do you do what you do? What is really important to you? How does it make you feel?
What are you passionate about? What makes your heart sing? What does your work give you a sense of?
The more you can connect emotionally with your WHY? the more powerful it will be and the greater your motivation.
Here’s 3 things that can help.
Set yourself goals and take action.
Goals allow you to focus on what you want and take action to achieve it. You can set goals in all aspects of your life. If you want to be a successful freelancer, start by defining what success means to you. Find yourself great role models and be confident to approach and ask them how they achieved success, successful people are always willing to share.
Write your goals, using the 3Ps, personal, present and positive, eg. I have a successful freelance career, then write specific goals, actions and timescales to achieve it.
To bring your goals alive and make them inspiring you need to add your Why? and connect with them emotionally. Use your creativity when writing your goals, using photos, colour, pictures, music, visualise them and create a powerful mental movie.
Remember, the value in setting the goal is the person you become in so doing.
Find balance
Working for yourself can mean that you never leave work and we all know that all work and no play is not good. Take a step back and look at your life as a whole. Draw a circle and create 6 or 8 segments each one representing an area of your life that is important to you eg. Career, hobbies, relationships, family, friends, social, spiritual etc. Rate each area of your life from 0 (centre of circle) to 10 (Outer edge of circle) where 10/10 is the best it can be. Looking at the circle where is your life out of balance? Define what 10/10 looks and feels like for you. What steps can you take to improve your score and move towards 10/10?
Discipline your disappointments
It’s great when you get a contract or piece of work and you have success. Remember to celebrate your successes and take the feelings of success with you to give you confidence when going for other jobs.
However, things do not always go the way we would like. When this happens you have a choice, let it get you down or learn from it and move on. Remain positive and always focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want.
3 tips to lift your mood and remain positive
Practice gratitude. There is always something to be grateful for every single day, find it and write it down.
Positive affirmations. Your thoughts create your reality so keep them positive, powerful and uplifting and say them out loud.
Play. Whether it’s dancing, singing, listening to your favourite music, playing and having fun is what life is all about. Life’s far too important to take too seriously.
Some of my suggestions may seem a bit strange to you at first but why not try them out, you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
I wish you every success.
Heather Gibbon
“Unleashing Confidence and nurturing Wellbeing”
Life Coach at MyCoachingMatters
07870126401