We all experience slumps in our enthusiasm for running our business. It is a rare person (if she exists at all!) who can maintain a high level of energy all the time. So how do you pep yourself up? Here are some tips:

• Use a business coach. A good business coach can give you the positive push you need, provide accountability and increase your enthusiasm immensely.
• Network with other business owners. Talking through struggles and triumphs with other business owners can be a great release and a great way to increase your energy levels. Mutual support and a shared understanding will improve your outlook.
• Find a mentor. While it is valuable and important to meet with other business owners, meeting regularly with a mentor who has more experience is a great way to be encouraged. Mentors can often be a source of advice and a sounding board for new ideas.
• Commit yourself to lifelong learning. There is no one who can profess that they have learnt ‘everything’: there is always something new to learn. And learning has the added bonus of increasing your enthusiasm.
• Take a break! Too often we fall into the trap of thinking we need to keep working and get the job done. But our energy levels will continue to drop, and productivity will suffer, if we don’t take regular breaks.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

I am a visualiser. In order to prepare myself to undertake something new or unfamiliar, I visualise the steps and imagine the scenarios involved. However I recently discovered that sometimes visualising is not enough. Regular readers of this column may remember that I had registered for an open water swim in January (something I have never done before). A few days before the race, the waves were choppy, the swell was big and looking out at the water, I decided not to compete. Although the day of the race ended up being perfect conditions (and I felt some regret at not racing!), it ended up being a good decision. I realised that while I had visualised it fairly well, I learnt a great deal from just watching the race this year. I was able to see the course (instead of just imagining it), check out the other competitors and feel some of the energy and atmosphere of the race. Next year I will be so much more prepared. In business, while there are times when you do need to step into something new without knowing all the details, there are other times when more research and planning will provide a better outcome. You may be able to imagine some aspects and prepare yourself mentally, but some of the following strategies may also help: talk to someone who has done something similar; get some professional advice; undertake a ‘practice run’; test your product of service a couple more times. By all means motivate yourself in whatever way works for you. But make sure you do what you can to minimise your risk of failure.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender