Bringing Your New Business Back to Life

You drag yourself into the kitchen after a hard day at the office. Staring glumly at the empty fridge, you try to block out the sounds of the kids squabbling, the dog barking to go outside, and the blare of the TV in the background.

Day after day, week after week, you promise yourself that you're going to work on your business.

'What business,' you think bitterly, 'The one that still hasn't produced a single thin dime?'

That's the one. It is incredibly easy to get discouraged when your business isn't making money ... and even more so when your life is filled with other priorities. You're just plain worn out - and you don't savor the prospect of spending your precious free time struggling with a business that has yet to turn a profit.

But the simple fact of the matter is: If you don't work your business, who will?

To get anywhere in life you have to work hard. It may involve some short-term sacrifices ... that's where you'll have to sit down with your family and figure out whether those sacrifices will justify the end result. Here are a few tips to help you get back up and work on your business:

• Drop any negativity. For example, instead of moaning about how you still haven't made any money, focus instead on how great it will be to make your first sale. Believe me, that first sale is an incredible feeling! It energizes you in a way that's hard to describe.
• Take it one small step at a time. There's no point in setting a lofty goal, only to fail at achieving it. Keep your goals realistic. For example, you could make it your goal to do 5 small advertising or promotion activities every day. A bunch of small steps will eventually lead to the achievement of the larger goal.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help or encouragement. You can find a lot of supportive people if you just ask. A good place is right here on the Internet, on message boards. You can start looking for forums that interest you at http://www.delphi.com/.
• Re-prioritize. There is no way that anyone can do everything. Let small things go while you concentrate on your business. The house does not always have to be perfectly clean, and a garden with a few weeds won't hurt you. Ask others in the family to help out.
• Be willing to make a few smart investments. While we would all prefer to spend nothing and make millions, it's simply not realistic. Many of us have heard the phrase, "It takes money to make money" - well, there's more than a grain of truth to it. Smart investments save us both time and money in the long run. Do your research, and don't be afraid to spend a few dollars.
• Force yourself to do a little most days. I know it's hard; I literally dragged myself to my computer every single day for about two months and made myself do 5 small tasks - despite having already sunk several hundreds of dollars into my business and not having seen a single sale. It was hard, all right ... but in the end it paid off: it took me one year to build my business to the point where I could quit my job.
• Stay 100% focused on what you want. Keep your final destination firmly in mind: do you want to be able to spend more time with the kids? Do you simply want to leave the stress of the corporate world? Do you want the independence and sense of achievement that comes from running your own business? Imagine what it will be like once you achieve it. Focus on WHY you want the business in the first place; it will help to keep you motivated.

Only YOU can change the course of your life. So what are you waiting for? Get going! :-)