| stent and rapid changes are impacting the economy, | | | | We all want success, health, prosperity, and we all |
| and the small businesses that create approximately | | | | want to be happy. We want it now. We all want to |
| two-thirds of the nation’s new jobs. These | | | | be self-disciplined and find an easy formula for |
| changes are all around us and envelope all areas of | | | | success and high achievement. There are ways to |
| business. The most obvious changes range from: | | | | maintain this excitement and enthusiasm about goals |
| telecommunications, manufacturing, distribution and | | | | and ambitions we want to accomplish. There are |
| natural resource management to evolving consumer | | | | ways to stay committed to do the things we know |
| needs and demands. Thus we see a tremendous | | | | we want to be doing. There are several ways to |
| growth in worldwide competition and making the road | | | | keep the energy, desire, drive and make the feeling |
| to success much more complex and difficult, | | | | last! There is a formula, a recipe or a road map for |
| especially for small businesses and entrepreneurs. | | | | lasting success and motivation. In certain areas of our |
| In a century that moved our transportation from | | | | life we have the desire but find a lack of long-term |
| horse trails to interplanetary trajectories, changed our | | | | motivation. |
| communications tools from quill pens to computers, | | | | What Stifles Inspiration |
| and took our culture from bacon and beans to sushi | | | | 1. Lack of defined goals |
| and burritos, some people think they’ve seen | | | | 2. Letting others pull you down |
| it all. Futurists say, the winds of change witnessed in | | | | 3. Lack of personal development |
| the 1900s are a summer’s breeze compared | | | | 4. Lack of responsibility for your life and shifting the |
| to the hurricane that lies ahead. The 21st century, | | | | blame |
| they claim, will bring unprecedented transformation to | | | | 5. Poor health |
| the world in which we live. | | | | 6. Overwhelmed |
| In the last decade alone, computers, fax machines | | | | 7. Waiting for better order in your life, or for things |
| and modems have brought the office into homes, | | | | to be perfect |
| cars, airplanes and hotel rooms. Future advances will | | | | 8. Don’t see your reward or visualize what |
| unite the telephone, computer and television into one | | | | you want to accomplish |
| unit. In fact, telephones may become so portable | | | | 9. Poor self-esteem |
| that many people will have their own individual phone | | | | 10. Creature of habit |
| numbers where they can be reached anywhere in | | | | Top Ten Ways to Find Your Internal Inspiration |
| the world. The electronic economy is changing large | | | | 1. Find what you love to do and form a game plan to |
| corporations and small businesses alike. This same | | | | do it. |
| technology is greatly affecting the growth and | | | | 2. Review your goals and objectives daily. How are |
| increase of volume for home-based businesses and | | | | you going to get there? |
| breaking down stereotypes of the home office. | | | | 3. Develop a sense of urgency. How and when you |
| According to a 1993 study by the SBA’s | | | | are going to get there? |
| Office of Advocacy, home businesses are not just | | | | 4. Develop courage to do what you really want. |
| the realm of people without “real” | | | | 5. Read inspirational material about how and where |
| jobs who want to earn extra cash. On the contrary, | | | | you want to go. |
| the study found that while having fewer employees, | | | | 6. Find others who are successful and discover how |
| the average home-based business owner had | | | | they accomplished their goals. |
| significantly higher net worth than their | | | | 7. Develop a vision. |
| workplace-bound counterparts. In 1993, an estimated | | | | 8. What are the reasons you want to get there? List |
| 41.1 million Americans were working from their | | | | them. |
| homes, or more than a third of the adult work force, | | | | 9. Find a support group. |
| up from 26.8 million in 1989. | | | | 10. Find and develop a great attitude! |
| California leads the country in this alternative work | | | | When we use inspiration, we are enthusiastic about |
| style trend with an estimated four million home | | | | ourselves and what we are going to accomplish. How |
| offices. The work-at-home segment has continued to | | | | do we find that inspiration? We find it by discovering |
| grow rapidly. | | | | the reasons that inspire us to improve ourselves and |
| Turn of the century journalist Ambrose Bierce | | | | our lives. What is our purpose? What are the reasons |
| defined the future as “the period of time in | | | | behind our goals and objectives? When you use |
| which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and | | | | desperation as a motivator, you are moved by logic. |
| our happiness is assured.” ealistically, however, | | | | For example, you go to work, because if you |
| the future may supply conditions no less competitive | | | | don’t you will be fired. |
| than the present, and companies of all sizes will | | | | Emotionally you do not want to go, but logically you |
| continue to scramble to some degree to survive. By | | | | must go to work. When you use inspiration as a |
| taking advantage of key trends that are changing | | | | motivator, you are using your emotions. Sure, there |
| the world as we know it, sending businesses around | | | | may be some logic to your motivation, but the |
| the globe and recreating the workplace, | | | | inspiration to act is emotional. Wanting to become the |
| entrepreneurs will continue to fuel the | | | | best in your field is a desire, and this emotion and will |
| nation’s economy through new job creation, | | | | drive you further than basing your motivation on |
| creativity, and innovation. | | | | logic. |