How to be inspired when you have been working as a horse over a year at your business?

Diana,

I ran a consulting company for over three years. I ended up divesting myself of that business earlier this year. We were ranked as one of the 250 fastest growing companies in our sector by an industry analyst two years in a row (2012 and 2013). I was working hours even more extreme than you for the first year.

We did great work and grew very quickly so it was hard to keep up with the growth. We made mistakes and we alienated some customers as we grew. Yet, I knew early on that I would need to hire people to help me grow. I tried to document as much as I could about our systems, processes and procedures. That way I didn't have to spend as much time training replacements.

The trick is in finding good people to work for you. If you are hiring people and they make your life more difficult (clients are upset, etc...) then you need to change your hiring strategy.

Your company has a unique way of doing things. Judging from your description, it's a very stressful and high demand environment. If you are going to hire someone then you need to hire someone who is a good fit for that kind of environment. Try and find someone who has been an entrepreneur in the past and don't be afraid of making mistakes that alienate some customers. If you didn't make mistakes you wouldn't be human. Just try to ensure those mistakes don't put you out of business.

My advice is as follows:
* Take 10-20% of your day and document what your doing. Draw diagrams if you need to, but make sure you understand the work to be performed.
* Hire People based on their passion not their skills, and train them.
* Work hard to ensure you create a relaxed work environment for the people who work for you. It takes much more time and money to retrain new people than to retain people.
* Take responsibilities for the failures of your people, offer training not blame to keep them working hard.
* Plan to take a trip after new people are in place to do the work. Think about where you want to go and imagine yourself relaxing.
* See a doctor about the stress and apathy, this kind of stress takes a toll on a person, it might be necessary to get on something like blood pressure meds to keep you healthy.

Hi Diana,

Thanks for sharing your experience and situation. I always appreciate entrepreneurs who tell it as it is rather than constantly glamorizing the dreams. As a fellow entrepreneur who does everything, it is definitely exhausting to handle. Every problem, issue, and solution is under our control. That extra hour of work can be fully utilized to move things forward. There must not be any harm in working a few extra hours then? Right? Wrong!

If you're in this for the long term, you need to make this journey sustainable.

1) Understand and internalize the power of breaks: You need them every hour (e.g a walk), every day (e.g. meditate/exercise), and every few months (e.g. vacation). Although you may think you can work at 100% efficiency all the time, it degrades very quickly. Breaks are conscious activities that give your mind a break from everything.

2) Form a support network: Find peers and mentors that you can engage with on a regular basis. Share experiences and realize that you're not in this alone. Everyone is in a similar position and each has something to contribute.

3) Get inspired: You ask this in your original question but wanted to address points #1 and #2 regardless. It's important to rekindle your passion very often. Talk to your partners and customers in an intimate setting over coffee or dinner. Understand how you are addressing their needs and what your service is now enabling them to do that they couldn't prior.

I would be happy to share more insights and examples of each of the above points. Just remember, you are not alone and you can do it! Best of luck and feel free to reach out.

Hey Diana

I've run a business myself for 10 years (which I started aged 20) so I know exactly how you feel.

It can be very hard to stay motivated, especially if you go through some hard times, or if you can't seem to get the right staff.

What I'm about to advice may sound strange, but actually taking time out of your business to do fun things and hang about with other people in your industry (or even other like minded business people) often spurs me on. You get to hear new ideas, as well as business tactics which you may have never thought about to really boost your business.

It sounds like you're working too hard. Sometimes you can be more productive by actually taking a step back and looking at removing the things which take up most of your time.

Start right now making a list of activities that you can delegate, even trivial things. Set aside time for yourself. You are in it for the long haul not the short term. Schedule "me time" every single day.
Don't stop taking massive action.
Best of Luck,
Michael T. Irvin
michaelirvin.net
My books are available exclusively through Amazon Books. Check out my book "Copywriting Blackbook of Secrets"
Copywriting, Startups, Internet Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Making Money