Maintaining Your Motivation

by Kelley Robertson

Recently, I was scheduled to speak to a group of salesprofessionals at the end of a training conference. The attendees hadparticipated in many learning sessions over a two-day periodmost of whichwere product relatedand I was concerned their attention might be waning bythe time I spoke.

Fortunately, the company had structured the entire program tocreate energy and excitement, and to foster a sense of team enthusiasm. Thecompany developed a conference theme and encouraged vendors to incorporate thetheme into their individual presentations. The team with the most energy andparticipation even received prizes. By this final session, the attendees wereexcited, highly motivated and charged up. When I left that evening, I knew theseindividuals would bring a renewed energy and drive to the work place, and I wasconfident the company would see a definite increase in sales in the weeks ahead.

A conference, training workshop or corporate gathering can bevery motivational. It is important to participate in these types of sessions ona regular basis if for no reason but to ignite your personal motivation.

Running a business is tiring and challenging; the constantscrutiny of government regulators and the media is increasing the stress onexecutives in the natural products area. This accumulated pressure can reduceproductivity and act as a de-motivator. Small business owners are required towear many hatsoften at the same timewhile executives of largeorganizations often have more problems and office politics to manage on a dailybasis. It is not uncommon for the business to drain our energy and motivation,regardless of how much we enjoy the business. One store owner recently told mehe thought he had been in business too long, because he had lost his drive andambition. What was needed was a way to rekindle his energy. Not taking time torecharge and change perspective can lead to frustration with work.

It is therefore imperative to have a personal motivation plan.This means taking advantage of opportunities to maintain motivation. A fewsuggestions?

Attend a personal development workshop.Identify an area in your business or personal life you would like to improve. Atthe beginning of each year, determine what types of programs could help, andseek them out. These sessions afford a short break from the daily grind andoffer time to develop a different perspective. Training programs, night coursesor weekend seminars focused on a specific topic can give a much needed energyboost.

Join a Master Mind group. Meetingwith other like-minded people can help you see your business from a differentperspective. An effective group will have between six and eight members from avariety of industries and usually meets several times a year. With the rightchemistry between members, these meetings not only help improve membersbusinesses but also motivate them to try new approaches and market theirbusinesses differently.

Support your health. As members ofthe natural products industry, you are aware that eating a well-balanced dietand taking appropriate dietary supplements contribute to a healthy lifestyle.However, following those recommendations is sometimes difficult in a stressful,busy environment. It is beneficial to remember the importance of supporting goodhealth through positive nutritional choices. Also, regular exercise is criticalto long-term well-being. Individuals who exercise regularly report a decrease inpersonal motivation during times when they are not taking time for exercise dueto outside commitments. Regular exercise helps the body work more effectivelyand efficiently. A 10- to 15-minute walk, a short bike ride or a few laps in thepool can defuse the day-to-day business stresses and even help the brain developnew solutions to pressing issues.

Read or listen to motivational material.Instead of reading the daily newspaper with breakfast or coffee in the morning,try reading inspirational material instead. A well-written book that offerssound advice is more motivating than reading about the latest market declines.Listening to motivational tapes or CDs during the daily commute enhances yourpersonal knowledge base.

Take time off. It is not a badge ofhonor to state, Im too busy to take time off. In todays fast-pacedbusiness world, it is critical to take time off for vacation, rest andrelaxation. Even a long weekend away can be restful. A true vacation meansavoiding E-mail and voicemail. While there may well be hundreds of messages to deal with uponreturning, it can be approached with renewed focus and energy.

Lastly, associate with positive people. As I have grownin my own business, I have made it a point to distance myself from negativeindividuals. They drain other peoples energy, do not support others goalsand desires, and are not motivational. On the other hand, positive andoptimistic people will uplift the spirits and help others through challengingtimes.

Kelley Robertson, president of the Robertson Training Group,works with businesses to help them increase sales and motivate employees. He isalso the author of Stop, Ask & ListenProvenSales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers. For information on hisprograms, visit www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.