Why passion fades…and how to keep it perky!

Every small business that has ever been formed, has been done so by someone full of passion.  The odds are stacked against them, but they believe that they will be one of the 4% that makes it past year 3 and goes on to huge success.

But passion can fade – even when a degree of success is achieved – and once-passionate individuals can find themselves presiding over a business, that’s driving them into the ground, and going nowhere.

So what happens to the passion? And what can we do to keep it burning bright?

Passion fades for a number of reasons – maybe you set up your business in one area, and now realise that you’re really not that passionate about it after all; or perhaps you’ve had to compromise to make money, taking on work that simply doesn’t rock your boat; or it could be that everything has just got too damn hard…you’re working every hour God sends, you’ve got people to manage and they keep getting things wrong, your customers are increasingly demanding…sometimes you just wish you had a job…simple, straightforward…less stressful.

Everyone hits a dip, it’s inevitable…but if you lose your passion, if you can’t see a way out of that dip, it could signal the death-knell for your business.

So how do we keep our passion perky?  Here are my 5 top tips…

1. Take a day out to think. Assess your situation; revisit why you set up your business, and if that ‘cause’ is still alive for you; think about what you loved doing as a child and whether you are fulfilling your childhood passions with what you’re doing now.
2. Invest the time to systemise your business.  Create processes and procedures in every area of your business that will ensure that everyone is working consistently, and to the standard you expect.  Then train your team, however small, in how to use them.  This will require time, you may even need to invest in bringing in someone to help you, but having simple, logical and repeatable processes and systems in your business will take a huge amount of pressure off you and give you more time and more control of your business.
3. Invest in yourself.  Reading books, going to seminars, networking, being part of a mastermind group will invigorate you and help you to do things better, faster, more efficiently, more effectively.
4. Collaborate.  Find a way to work with others who have different skills and strengths to you, and whose business offer complements your own.  Working alongside those who share our values and beliefs will reawaken our passion and drive our business growth.
5. Take your holidays.  Never underestimate the power of a holiday in relighting your fire and regaining your mojo.  Holidays allow your brain to relax, they give you time to think…to see the big picture…to have ideas.

Passion is the cornerstone of a successful business.

How passionate are you?

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk