If you’re already an entrepreneur, then you’ve already had it happen to you.

You’re working the normal 9 – 5 corporate America grind. Every day you start and finish your shift at the times your employer dictates. You make only the amount of money they say you can make. You take your vacations when they say you can take them.

And so it goes…

Until one day, something happens. You realize that you don’t want to do it anymore. Maybe you lost your job. Or got passed up for that promotion. Then, you realized something that you’d always known: you’re capable of more than this. And this feeling awakened something inside of you.

You want more.

A better life for your family, more autonomy, and a real way to create wealth and leave your mark on the world. It builds and builds until finally, you SNAP. You have made your decision. You’re going to start your own business, and you’re going to do it now.

In that moment, everything changes. You now have a new focus, a new motivation that fuels you. And you know things will never be the same.

This is the initial “entrepreneurial spark” that ignites your newfound passion. It drives you. It pushes you.

Then, it kinda goes away doesn’t it?

You become overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of what you’re doing. “Reality” sets in and you are consumed with doubt. You become discouraged. Are you really capable of doing this? Is this a mistake?

What have you gotten yourself into?

It happens to all of us.

The good part? It doesn’t have to stay this way. With a little work, you can keep yourself motivated. You can talk yourself into continuing to be inspired.

This article is going to give you some practical tips that you can use to keep yourself going. As you implement the tips given in this article, you will learn how to stay motivated as you continue to grow your business.

How To Stay Motivated

So how can you maintain the fire that got you started? You keep finding new ways to be inspired. If you feel dejected or uncertain, you keep working anyway. You refuse to allow the negative feelings to dictate your actions.

Here are a few rules to follow:

Celebrate, Celebrate, Celebrate

Hold on to each win. Small victories are important. Each win brings you closer to realizing your dream. Keep a record of the things that go right. When you’re feeling down, review it. Continually remind yourself of how far you have come.

Surround Yourself With Like-Minded People

This is probably the most important rule to keep in mind. In his article for Entrepreneur magazine, Stephen Key says

“At work and on your time off, spending time with people who have a positive outlook on life can be very inspiring. Avoid people who have a defeated attitude and are generally negative, because their perspective will inevitably rub off on you.”

The worst thing you can do is hang around people who are negative.

They will only discourage you and hold you back. Starting a business is hard enough on its own, you don’t need anyone giving you negative vibes along the way.

Find Daily Inspiration

Take some time to look at the accomplishments of other people who are doing what you are doing. There are stories of success everywhere. You just have to find them. It’s easier to believe you can achieve something if you see other people who have already done it.

Summing It All Up

You cannot rely only on the initial spark that pushed you into entrepreneurship. Knowing how to stay motivated is critical to your entrepreneurial success. Learn how to reignite your fire daily. Don’t become complacent. And most of all, keep moving forward.