by
Caroline Zook
Are you feeling like your business has lost its spark? We have seven powerful ways to reignite your enthusiasm for your business.
Let's dive into our E.X.C.I.T.E.D. framework to bring delight back to your work...
How To Use Our E.X.C.I.T.E.D. Framework
If you feel like you've fallen out of love with your business, things have gotten a bit boring, or you're simply looking for a jolt to get you motivated again, we have seven tactics that can help you:
Education
eXperimentation
Connection
Inspiration
Technology
Evaluation
Destination
Let's start getting excited about your business with Education!
Investing in your knowledge is an incredibly powerful way to continue to uplevel your skills. It's also a great way to gain inspiration and there are copious amounts of videos, articles (like this one!), courses, and conferences you can consume/attend.
There is ALWAYS something new to learn, but change can be hard. Give yourself permission to be in a season of education, but don't rely on consuming more content as a crutch. Know when it's time to stop filling your brain and start taking action on what you've learned.
Explore new skills and ideas to stimulate your mind and your business growth!
Next up is eXperimentation
Yeah, yeah, we are obviously cheating on the "X" in EXCITED 😂😂. But, we find that leaning into experimentation and continuously trying fresh tactics and strategies can really up your enjoyment of working on your business!
As the world and the Internet continually evolve, it's important to innovate, try new approaches, and avoid the fear of continuing to do things the same way you've always done them.
A couple of easy experiments to get started with:
Can you add gamification to your offer in any way so it's more fun?
Is it time to try an entirely new design style to feel refreshed?
Maybe there's a new product launch tactic you want to try?
Whatever experiments you decide to dive into, just remember that they are exactly that: EXPERIMENTS! These aren't forever changes and shouldn't be treated as such if they don't work out perfectly.
Establish more Connection with your audience!
It's easy to lose the excitement you had for your business when you were first starting out. The to-do items pile up, admin tasks appear left and right, and the ebbs and flows of revenue can bog you down.
But, we believe that regularly getting in touch with your audience and customers can give you a boost of motivation. You can do this in many ways, but some of our favorites are:
Quarterly surveys where we check in on our customers
1-on-1 calls to have actual conversations with our customers
A saved folder of kind messages/testimonials
Whatever way you feel comfortable connecting with your audience, carve out time to reestablish communication and get amped up about why you do what you do.
What content gives you Inspiration?
We ALL consume content all day long. However, there's a big difference between mindless scrolling and intentionally seeking out content that inspires you!
If you're feeling a bit stuck and blah about your business, seek out other stories, podcasts, videos, newsletters, or social accounts that you can relate to. Just remember, it's easy to fall into comparison traps so you want to be mindful of relating your business to someone else's (who might be much further along on their journey than you are).
💡 Pro-tip: When we go into Inspiration-mode, we create a constraint on the amount of time we can spend consuming that content. Usually, it's 1-2 hours in a day, capped at one week. Then, we take that inspiration and invest it into our work.
Embrace new Technology
Every couple of months it feels like everything is changing. That change can be scary, daunting, and completely overwhelming. But, the more you can lean into trying new technology and exploring the benefits for your business the more excited you might feel.
If new technology strikes fear in your heart, reframe your relationship with it as a tool that can enhance your work and how your product can help customers.
Use Evaluation to reflect on your business journey
When your head is down and you're working IN your business, it can be hard to zoom the lens out, look up, and see how far you've come!
We use weekly planning meetings, journaling, and annual reviews (like this one, or this one) to consistently review our progress. It can be hard to feel the motivation and excitement for your business when you're trudging through the mundane of the day-to-day. By proactively taking time to see the progress you've made on your journey you can instantly get inspired.
Keep your Destination goals in sight
When was the last time you reminded yourself of your big business goals? When did you last look off in the distance and let yourself dream about the point in the future you're working towards?
Sure, it can be de-motivating if you haven't made many strides toward your big goals, but we find it's energizing when you visualize your future and how achieving your goals will impact your life. As with the only parts of the E.X.C.I.T.E.D. framework, you want to make sure that the desintation you're working towards is based on your enough goals and not someone else's!
Get Excited About Your Business Wrap-Up!
Reigniting your passion for your business is crucial for long-term success and fulfillment. By following these seven "E.X.C.I.T.E.D." strategies, you'll infuse novelty and enjoyment into your entrepreneurial journey.
Education, eXperimentation, Connection, Inspiration, Technology, Evaluation, and Destination—these are the keys to maintaining your enthusiasm and achieving your business goals.
So, get pumped up, stay curious, and keep rocking!
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