Strategy
Business Insider Intelligence
- Alex Haimann is partner and head of business development at Less Annoying CRM.
- Losing motivation is a natural part of a long-lasting career - but it doesn't have to be permanent.
- Having a mantra can help guide and motivate not only your career, but also your personal life. It can inspire you to always make strides toward new accomplishments.
- You can find ways to stay motivated by following a few key habits: Make time for personal reflection, refocus your efforts when you fall off track, and always circle back to what's most important to you.
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When I first had lunch with the CEO and cofounder of my current company in 2012, I had no idea the conversation would lead to an offer to join a then-tiny startup as a senior member of the team. I had to take a significant pay cut and jump into a whole new role, but I reminded myself that the most worthwhile endeavors require courage and risk-taking.
Many people struggle to take risks as they grow and settle into their careers. A recent Vistaprint study found that 33% of small business owners don't feel as motivated as when they started, and 36% lose their motivation a few times a year. Losing steam is natural - but building it back up can be natural, too.
Courtesy of Alex Haimann
Alex Haimann.
These days, when I feel my motivation waning, I think back to two mantras I learned in childhood. The first, "No guts, no glory," was a nudge of encouragement from my father when I was 10. Later, around age 13, I learned the phrase "All glory is fleeting" when my parents showed me the classic World War II film "Patton."
For me, the word "glory" became synonymous with "accomplishment." The idea that glory is fleeting reminds me not to rest on my laurels with any accomplishment. New challenges lie ahead, and you can always learn, grow, and improve in order to meet them.
To find motivation, I follow these three principles: