I was recently talking with a friend of mine who was telling me about a married couple she knew who just started a business. The couple has become very discouraged because they are in the red most months and nothing seems to be working out in their business.

She said they have been working so hard and just didn’t know if they were going to make it. When I asked how long they had been in business, she replied, “Oh, they’ve been in business for 4 months.”

Apparently they are considering closing the business because it just doesn’t seem to be working out.

This conversation happens more often than you could possibly imagine. People go into business thinking they will get immediate results.

Maybe that’s why so many businesses fail. People go into business thinking everything will happen quickly. In reality, things rarely happen quickly.

There are many questions that should be asked before starting a business and I have addressed several of them in previous newsletters. But here is one question every potential business owner must ask to keep from quitting when things don't happen as quickly as they think they should:

“Can I stay motivated and keep moving forward when things get tough?”

Nobody is there to tell you what needs to be done on any given day. Nobody is there to pat you on the back for a job well done. You will probably not get a performance evaluation at the end of the year.

Most of the time, you are alone in your business and you have to find the strength within yourself to keep going when things get tough. Sure, you may have a “support” system of friends and family, but when you are alone at night with just your thoughts, and things aren’t going well in your business, doubts and fears start to creep in.

You start questioning whether or not this was a good idea. You start wishing you had a “regular” job. You ask questions like, “What will people think if I fail?”

It is at times like these, you have to be motivated and driven to keep moving forward. You have to find that inner strength to keep going.

Here are three tips to help you stay motivated when things get tough:

1. Celebrate the small victories. Look for the small successes in your day and write them down.

2. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up when you have an unproductive day. Just get back on track as soon as possible and put it behind you.

3. Focus on the present. Not the past. Not the future. Focus on what you have to do now to build your business ... and do it!

Being an entrepreneur and being in a business of your own is not always easy. But it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have, if you keep the right perspective and stay motivated.

To Your Success,