How Can One Stay Inspired During Challenging Times?
To help you stay inspired and motivated during challenging times, we asked eight CEOs and Founders to share their strategies. From setting small goals and reflecting on success to applying the principle of focused tenacity, these leaders offer a wealth of wisdom on overcoming adversity.
- Set Small Goals and Reflect on Success
- Visualize Successful Outcomes
- Seek Support and Cultivate Positivity
- Accept Adversity, Find Happiness in Struggle
- Rejuvenate Through Grounding Practices
- Adopt a Growth Mindset and Stay Motivated
- Break Down Tasks into Mini-Milestones
- Apply the Principle of Focused Tenacity
Set Small Goals and Reflect on Success
I maintain inspiration and motivation during adversity by setting small, achievable goals. This approach helps to create a sense of progress and accomplishment, even when facing larger challenges.
Additionally, I regularly reflect on past successes and the lessons learned from previous obstacles, which reinforces my resilience and determination to overcome current difficulties.
Einav Biri
CEO, FARUZO
Visualize Successful Outcomes
One strategy I’m particularly fond of is visualizing successful outcomes. When you face difficult circumstances, it helps to picture yourself succeeding. The goal is to remember what you’re fighting for, even when everything seems bleak.
Think about how proud you’ll feel about yourself in that moment. It helps to avoid the mental block of only thinking about the obstacles in your way.
Ahmed Mir
Founder, Nature and Bloom
Seek Support and Cultivate Positivity
In my experience, a strategy I personally find effective in maintaining inspiration and motivation amid adversity is to concentrate on establishing small, attainable goals. When faced with challenging situations, I tend to break down large tasks into more manageable steps, creating a sense of progress.
Drawing from my own past successes and the insights gained from overcoming obstacles enhances my confidence. Seeking guidance from mentors or peers not only builds a sense of community but also provides valuable perspectives.
In our team, we often emphasize the importance of cultivating a positive mindset, practicing self-compassion, and recognizing progress, regardless of how small—all contributing factors to sustaining motivation in the midst of adversity.
Jay Soni, Managing Director, Yorkshire Fabric Shop
Accept Adversity, Find Happiness in Struggle
As a business owner and working recruiter, I face no shortage of stress. Throw in typical family issues, and sometimes it can feel like there is always a problem to fix.
But, as my wife always says, “That’s life.”
It’s funny, but those two words have done more for my mental health than anything else I’ve tried. I think, as a perfectionist, I’m always looking for things to be easy and seamless. When they don’t go that way, I’m frustrated and get down easily.
Flipping my perspective and seeing adversity as inevitable has helped me to stop aiming for a stress-free life, and ironically, letting go of that goal has improved my mental state to the point where I sleep easily at night.
Life is just a series of problems to be solved, so waiting until everything is perfect to enjoy myself is absurd. The real key is finding happiness within the struggle.
Rob Reeves
CEO and President, Redfish Technology
Rejuvenate Through Grounding Practices
In the face of adversity, I often turn to the practice of grounding—connecting with the Earth and its rhythms—to rejuvenate inspiration and motivation. This is something I learned from Native American traditions, where the relationship with the land is deeply respected.
When challenges arise, I take a moment to step outside, breathe deeply, and let the natural world center my thoughts. This practice helps clear my mind, find gratitude for the simple things, and remind myself of the long view.
The resilience of nature, its ability to adapt and thrive, serves as a powerful metaphor for personal and professional perseverance. By aligning with this natural resilience, I find the strength to navigate through tough times and come back inspired and motivated.
Jon James
CEO, Ignited Results
Adopt a Growth Mindset and Stay Motivated
When faced with adversity, I shift my perspective to see challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to learn and evolve.
This means actively seeking the silver lining in every situation and asking, “What can this teach us?” Whether it’s a project setback, a market downturn, or internal turmoil, I encourage my team to look for lessons and innovate our way through.
It’s about keeping the morale high by celebrating small wins and learning from the losses, maintaining a vision of where we’re going and why it matters. This approach keeps us motivated, resilient, and constantly moving forward, even when the going gets tough.
Alex Stasiak
CEO and Founder, Startup House
Break Down Tasks into Mini-Milestones
Setting small, achievable goals is a powerful strategy to maintain motivation in the face of adversity. It works by breaking down a larger, more daunting task into manageable pieces, which can make the challenge seem less overwhelming.
Each small goal acts as a stepping stone towards the larger objective, and achieving these mini-milestones provides a regular sense of accomplishment. This continuous reinforcement boosts morale and sustains momentum.
Kelli Anderson
Career Coach, Resume Seed
Apply the Principle of Focused Tenacity
A principle I use when facing adversity is what I call “Focused Tenacity.” As a tech CEO, I see each difficulty as a chance to learn and grow. I maintain motivation by setting small, attainable goals related to the problem at hand and persistently focusing on achieving them one at a time.
Getting through each goal fuels me with the inspiration to take on the next. It’s a reminder that no matter how big the hurdle, with focused tenacity, it can be overcome.
Abid Salahi
Co-Founder and CEO, FinlyWealth
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