When you start your business, it might feel like you are having a mad and passionate love affair. You may find yourself thinking about what you are going to do, dreaming about the success you are going to have, and spending the money you’re going to make. 

But at a certain point, as with every romance, the passion fades and it’s all about doing the chores. 

So, this Valentine’s Day week I thought I would write about how you can spark some passion and fall in love with your business again if you’re not in a great place right now. 

Do what you love

A dozen years ago I heard the best quote from author and speaker, Steve Farber. He said, “Do what you love in the service of people who love what you do.” If there is a golden rule for entrepreneurship, this might be it. 

If not a golden rule, definitely a north star. 

Are you doing what you love? If not, what can you add, delete, or adjust to get back to love? 

Enjoy the ride

Starting and growing a business is a wild ride. Parts are slow and boring and parts are fast and furious. There will be seasons of growth, seasons of harvest, and seasons where it seems like nothing is happening. 

It’s a long, strange trip for sure, but you signed up for it, so it’s better to try to enjoy the ride. 

Prioritize self-care

There will be times when it will be difficult to carve out time for self-care. My very strong recommendation is to do it anyway. When you make time to eat well, sleep, and exercise, you will be more productive and will have better access to creative thinking. 

Do not subscribe to the hustle and grind mindset. Driving when sleep deprived is the same as driving drunk. Ensure you have time to rest and recharge. 

Use your calendar

I recommend adding time blocks of self-care and white space to ideate into your calendar. Keep all tasks to a reasonable estimate and add in constraints and treats. You will get more done AND have more free time to enjoy yourself. 

One of the problems most entrepreneurs face is having their work life bleed into their personal life. Only you can decide what boundaries you need to put in place, but you will definitely need some, and once you put them in place, make sure you stick to them. 

Have a morning routine

I fought this one for a long time, but now I am sorry I did. As the day goes on, there is more of a chance that something urgent will come up and derail your plans to exercise or whatever. 

Instead, create a morning routine that works for you and stick to it no matter what. Make it non-negotiable. 

Mine is 750 words of stream of consciousness journaling (Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages), exercising, and eating a big breakfast. This starts my day off right and supports my mental and physical health. I don’t look at my email or social media until after I have completed my morning routine most days.

Plan for resilience

When setbacks happen (and they will), have a plan in place for how you will find support. Do you have some trusted advisors? Fellow entrepreneurs? A mastermind group? A coach? A mentor? 

Even solopreneurs need a village. Identify yours in advance so you can work through your issue(s) and get back to work sooner rather than later.

Laugh

Sometimes things just go sideways. 

Sometimes things go off the rails completely. 

Taking yourself or your business too seriously isn’t helpful in these situations. Instead, try to find some amusement with the heaping helping of crazy you are experiencing. 

Laugh if you can and try to remember that when you get through it, it will probably be a great story. 

I hope these strategies will help you fall back in love with your business if you are having a tough time. Just like any relationship, you will experience highs and lows in your business. Work through the tough times and celebrate the good times. 

Photo by Ryan ‘O’ Niel on Unsplash