With the summer in full swing, it can be difficult to stay motivated. The weather is warm, the days are longer, and you’d rather be spending your time enjoying the outdoors. Or maybe, the uncertainty of the future has you feeling uneasy and perhaps even a bit lost in what these next months will look like for you and your business. And that’s all completely normal.

So what can you do to stay on track when your motivation starts to wane?

Here are 5 strategies you can try, with some inspiration from some of Women’s Enterprise Centre’s loan clients:

1. Remember what motivated you to start this journey.

For some, the thought of going back to the way things were can be reason enough to push forward. Build your motivators into your business and stay true to them.

“I knew that I was capable of more than the 9-5 grind that I had found myself in,” says Christine Banno owner of SWEAT Vancity, a TRX and small group training studio in North Vancouver. “I spent my life in many jobs/roles that didn’t inspire, motivate or keep my interest. I love the challenges of learning, growing and having the freedom to design my career, and help my clients achieve the best in their lives. I was also very excited about building a community around my dream and vision.”

2. Focus on your strengths.

Problem solving, people skills, perseverance, attention to detail, organization, intuition, passion… read any of Women’s Enterprise Centre’s loan client success stories and you’ll see, each woman has leveraged her own unique strength(s).

Embrace what helps you succeed as an entrepreneur, like Dr. Amanda Chay of The Natural Path Clinic in Rossland, BC.

“I am always open to new ideas. In business, things never go exactly as per the expectation. Being too rigid can cause a lot of unnecessary grief. Being open has allowed me to discover new and better experiences and help my clients more.”

3. Create a mission statement.

Write why you are here, where you are going, and how you will accomplish what you’ve set out to do.

In 2017, Shelley Wallace of Hagensborg Chocolates felt that it was important to dig deep into her supply chain and it led her to discover the true horrors of the cacao industry, the trafficking of children. She said, “How can we say we are sweetening the world while supporting these horrors? It was clear that we needed to source our cacao directly from farmers with strong human values and pay them a premium above world market prices.” Since then, Hagensborg has re-launched the Truffle Pig chocolate bars with slave-free, directly-traded cacao sourced from small high-quality Central American farms.

4. Build your passion into your business.

If you don’t do this, if your commitment is half-hearted, it will affect how secure you feel in your decision and your ability to move forward.

Angela Nagy is a trail blazer and the CEO and co-founder of GreenStep Solutions. She leads a team of energy experts and green business professionals whose core mission is to make the world a better place by helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint.

“When we started out, there were a lot of doubters out there (and they’re still out there), who thought that starting a business to change the world was a nice thought, but a bad idea. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve persevered against all odds. If it wasn’t for a high level of confidence and belief in our team’s ability to make GreenStep’s vision a reality, we would not be here today.” GreenStep is now a certified B Corporation and, among other recognitions, was honoured as one of B Corporation’s Best for the World Overall in 2017.

5. Connect with a mentor or support group.

It’s easy to temporarily lose motivation, especially when you’re working alone. Re-connecting with other women may be all you need to do to feel positive again. This can be a virtual get-together with your support team, or participating in a formal mentoring program.

Shaina Azad is the founder of Suva Beauty, a cosmetic brand that retails in over 30 countries around the world. “I was a mentee through WEC and am so grateful for the lifetime friendship I have gained. Not only was my mentor able to guide me through organizational strategies which drastically changed the foundation of my business and set me up for even more success, but we ended up acting as sounding boards for one another.” Since working with her mentor, Shaina has become a mentor herself, and has launched an internship program through her company to mentor young girls.

Everyone has bad days. It’s what you do during the down times that will determine your success as an entrepreneur.

Remember, you’re not alone and there are many resources to help you – if you need support for your business, connect with Women’s Enterprise Centre’s client service team!

This article is based on a section in the Taking the Leap to Entrepreneurship resource guide created by Women’s Enterprise Centre.Download it for free here >>

About Women’s Enterprise Centre

Women’s Enterprise Centre is a non-profit organization devoted to helping BC women start, lead and grow their own business. If you own a business, or are thinking of starting one, connect with us for business loans up to $150K, business advice, skills training, mentoring, resources and a supportive community.