Whether you’re looking to start a small business, recently started one, or even if you’ve been in business for a while now, you could always use some inspiration time and again. And especially if you’ve been at this for a bit, burnout is a very real thing. If you don’t take the time to self-motivate and to find sources of inspiration, this business about which you were once so passionate could start to become a burden more than anything else. So what can you do to get inspired—be it for starting a business or reenergizing your enthusiasm for the one you have…Below are a few suggestions that just might help!
Join Local Business Organizations
Odds are, even if you live in more rural areas, you still have access to groups and organization designed to bring like-minded individuals together for the purposes of networking, exchanging ideas, and well, motivating one another. Encouragement abounds with these types of groups. Remember these are professionals and entrepreneurs going through the same experiences, enduring some of the same challenges as you. Leaning on one another and discussing the nuances of the business life can most definitely serve as some needed inspiration.
If you’re not certain as to where to start, try the Chamber of Commerce. They can help you locate a variety of organizations and industry-specific groups in your region. You can also, of course, do an online search for such community organizations in your local area.
Talk to Your Friends
This is especially useful if you’re thinking about starting a small business. Verbalizing your intentions and actually announcing to someone your plans, could be just the motivation necessary to get up and actually go for it. And, if you have been in business for a while, sometimes talking to friends—someone outside the scope of your every day—can help shed new light and bring fresh perspective regarding any difficulties the company may be facing. Confiding in those closest to you can always be a source of inspiration, particularly if you’re open and honest about your goals and challenges.
Leave Your Job
This is more applicable to people who want to start a new business venture. This is also, of course, a major decision and one that should not be taken lightly. Weigh your financial situation against the risk you are willing to take to start that small business. First and foremost, do all relevant homework. Just quitting your job and starting a new company without due diligence and thorough preparation could wind up being a disastrous move. However, approaching this in the right way might very well be the boost you need to get going.
Enlist the Help of a Mentor
Whether you’ve been at it for a while or are a newbie as far as entrepreneurship, one could always benefit from engaging with a mentor. A mentor is someone you can turn to when you need feedback, or when you feel frustrated like things are escalating beyond your control. A mentor is a person there to offer a reasonable and objective perspective when you start to get discouraged for example. Not to mention, there are other benefits that come with working with a mentor. For instance, as a mentor is generally someone within your industry, they may be able to help you make valuable connections. As they’ve probably been successful in their own business endeavors, they can also work with you on your business plan moving forward—what direction should you go? How potentially can you expand? What processes need to be implemented? A mentor truly is all about inspiring.
Do something. This may seem a relatively simple piece of advice, but often the best thing for a small business owner, when they feel stuck or somehow in a rut, is just to get out there and do something! Even if it seems a fairly small step, the fact that you are moving forward, that you’re compelling yourself to take action, is an inspiration in and of itself. This could be something as basic as rearranging your office so that there’s better flow and energy. It could be reading a book on business success stories. It doesn’t necessarily matter what or how big the action—as long as you take it and use it to help fuel your passion and inspire you going forward.
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