Finding Motivation as a Woman Entrepreneur
“You women entrepreneurs out there, blaze new paths and don’t allow yourself to be restricted by outdated traditions.” Lisa Srao
As a woman, what does it mean to “blaze new paths?” It’s all about realizing your hidden potential. It’s about finding what you are passionate about. It’s about transcending the limits of tradition and breaking stereotypes. It’s about being on a mission to change the perception of the world.
The secret behind blazing a new path lies in finding out what motivates you as an entrepreneur. We are always hearing moving tales of brave women who broke free from the invisible chains of society and whose names became synonym with greatness. Don’t get me wrong — we are lucky enough to live in a time where women are finally being appreciated for their talents and more and more female entrepreneurs are working towards changing the world for good. According to a report published by SCORE, about 62% of women entrepreneurs claimed that their business was their main source of income. However, sadly, 34% of them also said that they were struggling with their ventures.
As a female entrepreneur, I understand that running a business can sometimes break your spirit. Initially, there might be days when you wake up to find that you have absolutely zero motivation to go through your daily tasks. But over the years, I discovered that it’s all about seeking motivation in the right places. To summarize, in this article, I’m going to share with you the places/things to look for that much-needed boost of energy.
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Go Back to Your Soul Mission & Business Vision
Every person was sent to Earth with a purpose — a mission that leads to the person affecting the world in a positive way. Some people are lucky enough to identify their soul mission, actually, work on it, and become successful. Some, however, spend their lives wandering aimlessly, working jobs that don’t provide fulfillment of the soul. The interesting thing is that your soul mission and your business vision are linked. Make sure that you write this in your journal or post it on the wall. Anytime you feel a lack the energy to work toward taking your business to new heights, go back to your soul mission and business vision and remember the goals you are working toward!
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Get a Little Perspective
Sadly, in the modern workplace, gender inequality still persists like a plague that’s eating away the dreams and hopes of countless talented people. Surprisingly, most of the female entrepreneurs that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in my life all said that inequality at their previous corporate jobs was one of the main reasons why they pursued the golden path of entrepreneurship. Therefore, I advise my fellow female entrepreneurs to step back, take a deep breath, and think about the countless unfortunate women who face this discrimination on a daily basis, despite being much more talented than their male colleagues in so many cases. As an entrepreneur, you have absolute control over your professional life and no one can tell you what to do or how much you can earn! Consider how blessed you are and let that motivate you to make full use of the opportunity you have been given. And that’s not all. Pledge to create an environment that will never allow the cursed disease of gender inequality to grow!
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Think About All the People Who Doubted You
For female entrepreneurs, every day is a battle. As soon as you have your first cup of coffee in the morning, you go to war — that war between you and everything and everyone that ever created an element of doubt in your mind. The self-doubt that stops you from pursuing your dreams is implanted by external sources in your mind. You have to do all you can to prevent those lost people from becoming yet another hurdle in your way.
A good source of motivation is to think about every single person who doubted you. Think about their hurtful and demeaning words. “You can’t do that…that’s impossible for a woman…you are better off focusing on the kids.” Think of all the words that you have heard, make them a source of energy, and channel that energy toward working even harder.
To Conclude …
As an end note, I want you to realize that businesses don’t always sail smoothly. You will have to face the storms of life from time to time. The key is to be resilient and to muster up the courage and the motivation to get through them. I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you find the motivation to go through your day and your life while being content and at peace!
A print and digital magazine for businesswomen focusing on leadership, business, and entrepreneurship that made its debut in 2017 has WomELLE Magazine.
