Motivation
Withers & Co. are not here to save the planet or bring joy into the lives of children (as much as do try though); we are doing this because we are passionate about this industry and to make the money needed to live the lifestyle we desire - that is our motivation.
The lifestyle we strive to lead is multifaceted. It includes business, travel, kids, family, friends, drinking coffee, sports, eating out, reality TV (Bravo coming to NZ has not helped productivity), socializing, all the things we enjoy.
As individuals, Janelle and I have always been motivated people, and we find that working and living together we push the other to achieve more, work harder, and train smarter, or to drink more booze, one of the two…haha
Like everyone, we lose motivation though – we have been riding a battle over the last 6 months and it is a real roller coaster. In life sometimes things go your way, other times they don’t. You learn a lot but it can really take a toll on you, and especially on your motivation.
In years gone by issues like this would have really knocked me around and affected me and my mood for days, if not weeks.
I have managed to develop a process to work through the issues and not let them get me down.
- First thing, I don’t reply straight away, I take a breath, sleep on it, and reply in the morning.
- I look at the big picture, the long term. Often what is agitating is a small blip in the road ahead.
- I look at the girls, and the life I am working to create for them.
- And I remember that if someone or something is pissing me off, I have the ability to remove that from my life (it just might take time).
Additionally, I get a lot of motivation when I travel to Auckland and catch up with the likes of Greg Uren and Ben Mociewai. These guys are good mates, but we have a similar drive and I always find after having a coffee or beer with them I come away fired up to make Withers & Co. work that bit more.
We are using a shared space in Christchurch called The Collect. This is great to get you out from the dining room table, make you put on pants haha and gets you interacting with other start-ups and like-minded people. One thing I don't think I can stress enough is the need to remove yourself from a toxic environment if you are in one…if you are in a positive space, surrounded by positive people that are all working hard, then the results will come.
Seeing others succeed is also very encouraging. Shortly I am heading over to Chicago and we are meeting up with a mate James North. He is killing it with Jimmy John's and seeing people I know doing well really motives me to do the same thing.
Finally, Unfiltered, the best $249 Janelle and I have spent. We often flick on a video around 2-3pm when the attention and energy levels are starting to wane as these are a great pick me up to make sure those last couple hours of the day achieve results. The individuals that are interviewed are super successful in business and Unfiltered ask very probing questions to help you get an insight as to how they got to where they are today. We highly recommend signing up!
MW