Do you ever kinda wish you still had a boss to kick you into gear? How to stay motivated?

11 years ago

I do. A lot! When working for someone, I always am at 110%. Why? Reflecting upon this has shown me that it's because we just want to please others. I wanted to please my boss with my work so then he could say "Good job!".

There is no one saying to you Good Job when working for yourself at home. How do you stay motivated? Listen to some podcasts about working. I love 48Days by Dan Miller, it inspires me so much.

Also try to follow the forum, write and connect with people. You will soon find that having accountability buddies always helps.

I'm trying to motivate myself everyday and I want to create this group of accountability partners. PM me if you want so we can stay in touch

Ah, my greatest motivator is my belly, always rumbling because it is hungry. Thinking that I'm hungry and I don't have the money to buy food is a great motivation.

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706791].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Originally Posted by LukeZ

I do. A lot! When working for someone, I always am at 110%. Why? Reflecting upon this has shown me that it's because we just want to please others. I wanted to please my boss with my work so then he could say "Good job!".

There is no one saying to you Good Job when working for yourself at home. How do you stay motivated? Listen to some podcasts about working. I love 48Days by Dan Miller, it inspires me so much.

Also try to follow the forum, write and connect with people. You will soon find that having accountability buddies always helps.

I'm trying to motivate myself everyday and I want to create this group of accountability partners. PM me if you want so we can stay in touch

Ah, my greatest motivator is my belly, always rumbling because it is hungry. Thinking that I'm hungry and I don't have the money to buy food is a great motivation.

Well I'm glad I'm not alone.

Maybe there should be an accountability service offered to Warriors.

Every day a boot-camp like instructor will ring you and yell at you for not doing enough work... lol

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706875].message }}

PhillyGalJen 11 years ago

I have the problem in the fact that my focus can be quickly changed. I thought that I would get a good bit of work done on my kindle book yesterday.

Turns out a little ways in that I decided that I wanted to head to the kitchen and cook a nice dinner. Now yes dinner needed to be made, but I did not have to try out a new recipe.

I believe an accountability partner or a thread that helps you is something great. When there is a particular project that I want to get done, I will often post about it to facebook and on a thread in a forum I belong to. Gettign people checking up on me and asking me how it is going is often the motivation that I need to stay on task.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706904].message }}

GotMillions

11 years ago

Tell people what your doing, make deals with friends to send an email with your tasks every day and you have to check eachothr. If you fail a task, give him 1$ or something like that. Staying motivated is hard, try to create a system that makes you have to do something!

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706894].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Originally Posted by GotMillions

Tell people what your doing, make deals with friends to send an email with your tasks every day and you have to check eachothr. If you fail a task, give him 1$ or something like that. Staying motivated is hard, try to create a system that makes you have to do something!

Hah, I like the 1 dollar idea. Never thought of that.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706933].message }}

gvsridhar171

11 years ago

The $1 idea may or may not work because ultimately you are your own boss in deciding what you do. The moment your friend points out your mistake and asks you to pay up $1, and even if you end up in paying him, you are not doing the work because you are motivated. You are doing the work because you have to pay $1 if you don't do the work. Do you call this motivation ? I don't think so.

The real motivation would be a pat on your back. For me the motivation is earning some $$$ every day. Till I earn that I won't rest. I keep challenging my yesterday's income so that I do better today.

Do you think this will work for you ?

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Website / Facebook / Youtube
/ Twitter / Shopping /
I can develop a Mobile App for you Can Generate Leads

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706986].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Originally Posted by gvsridhar171

The $1 idea may or may not work because ultimately you are your own boss in deciding what you do. The moment your friend points out your mistake and asks you to pay up $1, and even if you end up in paying him, you are not doing the work because you are motivated.

The $1 is not the full motivation, it's just a little kick -- maybe a bit of fun to get you going.

I can see what you mean about paying up though. I probably would tell them to get lost if I had to pay them a dollar. Maybe the dollar should go to charity.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707043].message }}

LukeZ

11 years ago

I think that a mastermind group will do the trick

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706895].message }}

John Romaine

11 years ago

If you're not motivated and get lazy, you WILL have a boss!

Thats motivation enough for me.

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

BS free SEO services, training and advice - SEO Point

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706916].message }}

ajbarnes777 11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Romaine

If you're not motivated and get lazy, you WILL have a boss!

Thats motivation enough for me.

lol... good point!

Seeing results (which is the biggest motivation), motivational speakers, and motivational articles, books, etc., are helping me.
- Thanks
Signature

>>> CREATE 5 FIGURE WSO's WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN 24 HOURS OR LESS <<<
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706949].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Tried accountability partners -- twice.

Somehow it always fizzles out. One of us simply can't be bothered to email the other, and it's finished. What also seems to happen is that one partner will offer their opinion on the others tasks, which isn't always taken in a positive way.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706926].message }}

Dominican

11 years ago

If you don't want to do something, there is no real way that another person could ever make you do it. No matter if that person was a CEO, or a boss.... or a co-worker.

I think at some point and time, every single one of us has put off work, or refused to do something, especially when someone else was bossing us around to do it.

It may sound silly, but I believe our minds are almost designed to constantly question the authority of others, and it most often prefers the opportunity to make up it's own mind, rather than to be told.

Being told to do something feels as though we are being baby sat, and are being treated like a child.

I'm sure there must have been times where you knew or thought to yourself that you'd like to be able to decide for yourself, and work at your own pace etc... We are all individuals, who work together; but that is far different than working for someone else...

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706931].message }}

AdenWhite 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Dominican

Being told to do something feels as though we are being baby sat, and are being treated like a child.

I think that depends on the person who's giving the orders. If you have a lot of respect for someone, you usually don't have a problem with getting on with the job.

In fact you can feel quite proud/satisfied of accomplishing the task.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706941].message }}

Andrew Davis

11 years ago

For me, I get motivated working on my own Business/Projects, more than working on the Projects of others.

I do my best when working for others, but working for myself gives me an extra drive I believe.

It may be because I know that what I am working on (for myself) will profit me for a long time to come, in the future.

Working for others usually profits them, more than it profits you.

So in that sense, I enjoy working harder on my own stuff. I use this ideology to keep me motivated.

Thanks

Signature

Owner of: TrinSite, iOrbix, DesignCoverPhoto, KeywordCompetition ...and other Businesses

Only $20! - >> Get your own PROFESSIONAL Facebook Timeline Cover << - Best Price - Best Quality
(We are the #1 Facebook Cover Design Team in the WORLD!)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706946].message }}

Michael Ten

11 years ago

I have a boss right now in my 9 to 5. I wish that I did not. I would like more freedom and independence, but of course with that I must take more personal responsibility for my own workload and time, which can be difficult to do, unfortunately.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

New Book! Radical Life Extension. Help me to hasten the defeat of aging.
Michael Ten . Do Nothing Does . All Books by Michael Ten

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5706988].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael55555

I have a boss right now in my 9 to 5. I wish that I did not. I would like more freedom and independence, but of course with that I must take more personal responsibility for my own workload and time, which can be difficult to do, unfortunately.

I'm just saying the downsides to being your own boss is that it's very easy to do "not-very-much" all day.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707024].message }}

archetech

11 years ago

It is strange how productive having to get something specific done for someone else can make you. You think you'd be way more productive working for yourself, but it's way harder to be as productive. Part of it is just how "real" others make things, but for me, I think the main reason is focus. When I worked for someone else, I could just focus on the things they expected me to do. It didn't matter whether that was going to actually make a difference or not (and usually it didn't).

When I'm working for myself, I'm responsible for everything including the strategy and whether or not, in the end, what I'm doing will actually work . The natural tendency is to try to do everything all the time: to think about strategy while writing code or think about marketing while writing copy. It gets way too easy to get off track. If you are not regimented to begin with and you don't set regular work hours, you slip into this state where you're almost always hardly working and you're making very little progress.

I got a lot more productive when I implemented my own division of labor. First, I work from 8:00 to 6:00 - and I just work - in my office with no distractions. Then, I work on one thing at a time and as often as possible, I work from a task list. Some days I work on strategy; some days I work on copy; some days I work on coding, but I have that planned in advance and I make sure I stick to one of those modes. Since I started doing this I have been a lot more productive and I have more "free" time too.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707409].message }}

AdenWhite

11 years ago

Originally Posted by archetech

It is strange how productive having to get something specific done for someone else can make you. You think you'd be way more productive working for yourself, but it's way harder to be as productive. Part of it is just how "real" others make things, but for me, I think the main reason is focus. When I worked for someone else, I could just focus on the things they expected me to do. It didn't matter whether that was going to actually make a difference or not (and usually it didn't).

When I'm working for myself, I'm responsible for everything including the strategy and whether or not, in the end, what I'm doing will actually work . The natural tendency is to try to do everything all the time: to think about strategy while writing code or think about marketing while writing copy. It gets way too easy to get off track. If you are not regimented to begin with and you don't set regular work hours, you slip into this state where you are almost always hardly working and your making very little progress.

I got a lot more productive when I implemented my own division of labor. First, I work from 8:00 to 6:00 - and I just work - in my office with no distractions. Then, I work on one thing at a time and as often as possible, I work from a task list. Some days I work on strategy some days I work on copy some days I work on coding, but I have that planned in advance and I make sure I stick to one of those modes. Since I started doing this I have been a lot more productive and I have more "free" time too.

Great first post archetech, and thanks for the input.

I've often considered moving the IM business to a dedicated office. That would help miles with concentration -- but I wouldn't get to see my wife or children half as much.

I think it's worth the distraction. I've been told kids grow up fast.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707441].message }}

Lou Diamond

11 years ago

Hello,
I have never had a boss that was able to say anything in a positive way, they were abused on the way up and used their power to abuse others.
I just got tired of all the negatives not matter how well I was doing and went out on my own.
The only problem is that I may have to go back to a boss situation just to get health insurance.

Thanks

Signature

Something new soon.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707703].message }}

Devin2290

11 years ago

Aden, I feel like this all the time. One thing that really helps me pull out of it is simple: just start talking about what you do openly to other people. Even boast and exaggerate a bit about your success, because then, someone does have expectations for you, and you feel the "pressure" or motivation to fulfill your potential.
Working for home unavoidably leaves you alone a lot. When you're alone and no one but you and some of the internet knows what you're up to, you have no positive or negative feedback to gauge your work ethic by.
Oh, also, writing down goals for the day on a sticky-note or something similar at the beginning of the day is also incredibly helpful in staying on track. : ]

Thanks

Signature

<==Struggling? FREE guide --> 5 Ways to Make Money Online TODAY==>

Get premium paid products for free

"You are something the whole world is doing."

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707729].message }}

Anonymous Affiliate

11 years ago

Self accountability, motivation, focus, determination, hard working, etc are all characteristics that define entrepreneurs.

You cannot run a business if you cannot keep yourself focused and determined. This is not a matter of having a boss or not... it's a matter of having an entrepreneur mindset or not. Like I said before, either you got it or you don't, and no boss or accountability partner will be able to give you that.

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5707742].message }}

digichik

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate

Self accountability, motivation, focus, determination, hard working, etc are all characteristics that define entrepreneurs.

You cannot run a business if you cannot keep yourself focused and determined. This is not a matter of having a boss or not... it's a matter of having an entrepreneur mindset or not. Like I said before, either you got it or you don't, and no boss or accountability partner will be able to give you that.

This is soooo very true. Either ya got it or ya don't.

Thanks

Signature

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5711008].message }}

icegin

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate

Self accountability, motivation, focus, determination, hard working, etc are all characteristics that define entrepreneurs.

You cannot run a business if you cannot keep yourself focused and determined. This is not a matter of having a boss or not... it's a matter of having an entrepreneur mindset or not. Like I said before, either you got it or you don't, and no boss or accountability partner will be able to give you that.

This is very true. You've gotta get your mind in the game if you really do not want to have a boss looking over your shoulder. The idea of having a boss is particularly repellent to me personally so that's enough to get me going most of the time.

Not to mention the loom of bankruptcy and unpaid bills -- that definitely kicks my ass into gear

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5711074].message }}

Nightengale 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Tsnyder

This is simple... lean in close and listen intently... I'm going to give you the secret...

Your why isn't strong enough. That's it.

What he said. He's absolutely right. Your reason for doing IM and being self-employed has to be strong enough to carry you through the tough days and keep you productive overall. No, not every day will be productive, but if you're not productive enough to actually keep and grow a a business on a day-to-day basis (for the most part), then your reason why isn't strong enough.

The comments about accountability partners are very interesting.

Like some of us, I tried an accountability partnership with someone I met on this forum. And no, it didn't last. As others mentioned, it quickly fizzled out.

First, as someone else mentioned, NO ONE can make you do anything in your business. You either do it or you don't. Your reason for doing IM has to be strong enough to keep you motivated.

That said, not every day is productive and yes, we all still need some motivation and accountability. I'm finding that having "skin in the game" makes the difference, i.e. money.

Bluntly: I pay for it.

I'm part of a mastermind and am being held accountable. The person I'm accountable to is my coach, whom I've paid $7K for a 6-month coaching program. You can bet that I'm not going to waste $7K by not doing my work!

Generally, people who've paid money are motivated.

Beyond your reason why, you'll only be motivated by being accountable to someone if you like and respect them. And it only seems to work if they're someone who's had more success than you, who's gotten the results you want to achieve.

We're not generally motivated by someone who's either at our own level or worse, hasn't achieved at least the level of success we have.

We need to be able to respect our coaches/mentors and even more so, we need to trust them: trust that they are genuinely interested in us and care about our success; trust that they're really qualified to coach us (i.e. they've achieved real results doing what we want to do). It's a lot easier to take a lecture from someone we trust and respect than from someone we don't!

And, like I said, having "skin in the game" makes a tremendous difference! It show's you're more than just a talker. You're a do-er.

Michelle
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5726969].message }}

Tsnyder

11 years ago

This is simple... lean in close and listen intently... I'm going to give you the secret...

Your why isn't strong enough. That's it.

Why do you want to work from home instead of
going to a job every day? If you get that clear in
your mind and keep it in front of you every day
you won't need anyone to motivate you... you won't
need to be accountable to anyone.

If that doesn't work you haven't identified your why
or you're just fooling yourself and need to stay at your
job.

Now go do it... carry on.

Thanks

Signature

If you knew what I know you'd be doing what I do...

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5709924].message }}

wesker123

11 years ago

My motivation is myself. So that if I did great at some point, i could tell myself "Good job!".

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5709942].message }}

Sabrina178

11 years ago

Thanks LukeZ for mentioning the podcast. GOOD JOB.

[ 1 ] Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5709969].message }}

Randall Magwood

11 years ago

Sometimes you have to motivate yourself. When i used to play basketball, i would wake up at 6am just to practice on my own. Worked out well... i became Five Star Basketball Camp's Most Outstanding Player award, and was the MVP of the all-star game that we had. The following summer, i was invited to play at the Nike All-American basketball camp.

Find ways to motivate yourself. If you need inspiration... stay up late to watch the "make money" infomercials that come on late. I still do this till this day, and it keeps me motivated when i see the homes, cars, and lifestyles that these people are living.

Thanks

Signature

==>> Free video reveals how to earn $10k/month with affiliate marketing

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5710771].message }}

calebharris

11 years ago

Set weekly or monthly goals so that you know if you are progressing.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5710786].message }}

geolocal 11 years ago

Thinking about having a ceiling on my income, office politics, being told what to do, being stuck in an office all day, not being able to walk at my treadmill desk while I work, being home when my kids get home from school every day and a lot of other things I could name -- all of those things keep me very motivated. After escaping Corporate America in 2000, at this point I am officially "unemployable". Just the thought of a 9-5 is depressing.

If I goof off one day or volunteer at my kids' school, I more than make up for it on nights and weekends, but it doesn't feel like work because I LOVE what I do and am so grateful for this opportunity and the Internet. If it had been around 20 years ago, I doubt if I would have ever had a "real" job.
- Thanks
Signature

What's Sharon up to now?
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5710963].message }}

kasher9

11 years ago

More than the motivational boss, I wish I had a steady paycheck rather than one month being able to afford a mansion and then the next not being able to afford food haha.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5727015].message }}

anthony2

11 years ago

Originally Posted by AdenWhite

Although I didn't particularly like my job, I never had any trouble getting on with the task at hand.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon?

I mean -- I guess it was the threat of losing your job, or making the boss angry or something that made it easier when at work.

However, for whatever reason, the motivation is simply not there when working from home.

Even though the knowledge is there that you might not be able to pay the bills, or if you worked a little bit harder you could make a lot more money. I still find myself only doing a quarter of the work I used to do when employed.

Does anyone else feel the same?

If you are having problems staying modivated with your home business then
I believe your WHY....isn't big and strong enough.

Meaning:

Why are looking to be successful with your home business.

-Family
-Charity
-Future Kids
-Help make a change in the world
-Change your family tree. etc

This great quote I heard from the Great Tony Robbins.

"Your WHY Needs To Be SO STRONG....It Should Make You CRY"

Get a stronger WHY and that will keep you moving forward
through the tough times.

Thanks

Signature

"I Leveled The Playing Field And Removed Every Roadblock
To Helping You Make Maximum Profits In Minimum Time"
Click Here Now To Find Out How!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5727168].message }}

Do you ever kinda wish you still had a boss to kick you into gear? How to stay motivated?

Trending Topics

How can I find a designer developer to create a great landing page for my course offer?

How many conversions should I require? (paid ads question)

need ideas

More ecomm shoppers are using buy-now-pay-later

Bard VS ChatGPT