How to Stay Positive and Motivated in Difficult Times

One challenge clients often ask me about is how to stay motivated – for instance, when their business or career is hectically busy and they feel like a hamster in a wheel with no time to enjoy the journey…or when they’ve experienced a personal set back…. or when it’s just a really grey, cloudy and wintery day, again.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to have a really strong sense of purpose which is more important than being upset or daunted and inspires me.

One of my business mentors, Peter Thomson, once told me a story that is the source of my inspiration in my business.

It was about a farmer who farmed in a region where there was a terrible drought.

The earth had become parched, dry and infertile. The farmer was in despair. His family was suffering.  

Reluctantly, the farmer decided that the only thing he could do was to sell his land and go and find work in the city. As you can imagine he had to sell the land very cheaply.

Five years later the farmer’s curiosity got the better of him and he returned to his former land to find out what had happened since he had been away.

He was amazed to see that the buyer had become a very wealthy man. The buyer's family enjoyed an abundant life.

When the farmer asked the buyer how he had made his fortune, the buyer said, ‘I knew I couldn't farm the land during that terrible drought so I paid a land developing company to survey and explore the potential of my land and they found diamonds hidden under the earth!’

If only the farmer had known!

I thought, that’s what I want do…help people find hidden
diamonds in their lives so that they can enjoy wealthy and
fulfilling lives. That’s what inspires me to get up in the mornings and gives me a strong sense of purpose that motivates me in the face of difficult times.

What’s the inspiration behind your life that, when you remember it, helps you to feel strong, confident and motivated?
How could you share that your colleagues, clients, family, friends and suppliers so that they feel inspired too - and drawn to support you as you grow your business or your career?