Steve Jobs self-motivation can be hard to come by, especially in the face of challenges or difficult work. When you’re thinking about implementing that new idea, or starting that new company or beginning that new regimen, it’s easy to talk yourself into procrastinating. Or worse, avoiding your goal altogether.
The power of positive thinking isn’t just an adage — it’s scientifically proven that positive thoughts (and the elimination of negative self-talk) can improve your mood, feelings, and performance.
These thoughts of Steve Jobs should get you started doing whatever it is you need the motivation to do.
Do you have the occasional bad day at your job? Not every workday can be met with unbridled enthusiasm, can it? We all have moments when our mood lags far behind the “to do” list in front of us.
In many cases, we can’t identify the cause of the issue causing the problem. Ultimately, the “less than optimal” mood spells serious trouble for the day ahead. But there are actions you can take to turn your day around.
Certain days demand that you get your head in the right place in a hurry. Simple strategies can help. But, changing the negative dynamic — pronto — becomes the first order of business.
You will perhaps have heard this very old story illustrating the difference between positive thinking and negative thinking:
Many years ago two salesmen were sent by a British shoe manufacturer to Africa to investigate and report back on market potential.
The first salesman reported back, “There is no potential here – nobody wears shoes.”
The second salesman reported back, “There is massive potential here – nobody wears shoes.”
This simple short story provides one of the best examples of how a single situation may be viewed in two quite different ways – negatively or positively.
Employing a few well-traveled paths can help. Great piece of music often helps me a great deal. Also thinking of family or looking at their pictures.
Another quick option is re-reading a few all-time favorite quotes about work, career, and inspiration. It can help to get “lost” in a couple of these and reinvent your day.
Use of checklists? Ever given them a try? Lots of ways to use them. We like their use for an attitude adjustment to start every day.
After college, I spent almost two years training as a naval aviator. An important element of that training was the use of checklists in the learning and refresher process.
Checklist utilization remains an important part of my business life. It is always a good idea to have a helpful checklist for daily reminders of improvements for your business or your personal life.
I keep a stack of 10 or so checklists that I rotate and update occasionally. I pull out one checklist to read and contemplate for five minutes as a way to start each day. 5-minute review of the checklist puts my thinking in the right frame of mind.
Here is a useful checklist of example on my favorite “perspective changing” quotes. Hopefully, these will impact your day for the better as they often do mine.
Thoughts are powerful, and negative thoughts can prevent you from achieving your goals. The flip side is that positive thoughts can be just as powerful. The next time you feel unmotivated, use any of these positive thoughts to reenergize yourself.
Really: They will get you going.
Steve Jobs self-motivation … this is why I can.
Instead of giving yourself reasons why you can’t do something, give yourself reasons why you can.
Forget about what others think — prioritize what you think.
Steve Jobs self-motivation … I can learn whatever I need to know.
Free resources are plentiful.
I can master whatever I need to do. Practice can make you good at anything.
I know what I want.
Know what your end goals are, and visualize them.
Trying and failing is better than doing nothing.
This is universally true.
Steve Jobs self-motivation … I can’t win unless I try.
The effort is the only way to get results.
I’m better than I was yesterday.
You’re older, wiser and more experienced than you’ve ever been before.
Steve Jobs self-motivation … nothing great happens overnight.
Work and patience are your friends.
I’ll reward myself when I’m done.
Even small rewards can be great motivators.
Steve Jobs self-motivation … I’m doing this for more than just me.
Maybe it’s for your family or community — whatever “it” is, external motivation can be powerful.
If you are in a business where you deal with people on a regular basis, like we are, your motivation and positive thinking need to be in ‘top gear’ (as it will usually impact most issues of the day).
By spending 5-10 minute reading and thinking about the items on the checklist, you will be better prepared for the events of the day.
Do you consider your company a social commerce business? While there has been considerable hype about social commerce in the last few years, we don’t consider it new … it has been around as long as commerce.
These days there are just more channels to engage customers and be social. Positive thinking is everything in this regard.
We like to discuss the importance of positive thinking tips on the success of any business, particularly those that engage with the public to a great extent.
Here is a story about a nursery in our region. It is a story we like to tell because it contains some simple secrets for connecting positive thinking to employee and customer engagement.
A nursery gardener ran a business that had been in the family for two generations. The staff was happy, and customers loved to visit the store, or to have the staff work on their gardens or make deliveries – anything from bedding plants to young trees.
For as long as anyone could remember, the current and previous owners were extremely positive thinking people.
Most folks assumed it was because they ran a successful business. In fact, it was the other way around…
A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge, saying Business Is Great!
The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other company. What never changed, however, was the owner’s positive attitude, and the badge saying Business Is Great!
Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked, “What’s so great about business?” Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable, or even that they were miserable or stressed.
Anyhow, the Business Is Great! badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example:
The pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day
Reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences
Fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment
The fascination in work itself, and in the other people’s work and businesses
Great feeling when you finish a job and do it to the best of your capabilities
New things you learn every day – even without looking to do so
The thought that everyone in business is blessed – because there are many millions of people who would swap their situation to have the same opportunities of doing a meaningful, productive job, in a civilized well-fed country, where we have no real worries.
And so the list went on. And no matter how miserable a person was, they’d usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it’s probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point if asked about the badge in a quiet moment, the business owner would confide:
The badge came first. The great business followed.
Key Takeaways from this Story
Remember, this is the time to create remarkable experiences to create lasting relationships with customers. Lead with initiative … own the moment. Remember attitude is everything. (Want to see some additional tips on how to build customer relationships?)
Being social with a great positive attitude isn’t a new way of marketing; it’s a way of doing business.
Have a favorite quote you use? Share it here so that we can craft the second checklist.
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you. But believe in the effectiveness of motivational stories. And put them to good use.
It’s up to you to keep improving your motivation. Lessons are all around you. In this case, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your enthusiasm and passion?
Do you have a lesson about making your motivation better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
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