Rejuvenate & Re-Fuel Your Inner Drive

I believe that as solo-entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives we all need a pat on the back. Give yourself commendation. Why? Because we have the courage to step outside of the corporate box and start our own businesses, be our own boss and take on the challenge and responsibilities required for this adventure. In order to even contemplate that step we must have had a vision, a dream and a passion to bring it to fruition. So commend yourself.

Now, we're in business. We've been working our little brains out. We are dedicated to making our dream come true. But some time has passed and we may have exhausted ourselves of ideas, that passion that once used to drive us is fading and our never ending "to do list" is overshadowing our dreams.

Do not be discouraged, we only need to refuel. Picture the never ending stair master at the gym. I know we all dread that machine, because it seems like you just keep climbing and there is no landing. But each step is a further progression. Each step brings us to a higher level. Perhaps by reading these strategies we can replenish our passion and reinvigorate our inner drive. So let's focus on a few ideas that I have found to be helpful.

1) Narrow Your Niche I know that as a woman, mother, wife, housekeeper, and a chef, solo-entrepreneur and so on, I tend to think that I can handle it all. Maybe not with grace, but I can accomplish a lot. I am a multi-tasker. We assume that if we can do so in our personal lives, the same should be true in our professional lives. No doubt, we can manage a lot. And as solo-entrepreneurs there are a lot of hats to wear. Business owners are in advertising, marketing, accounting, and so on. But when it comes to the services we offer we should consider "narrowing our niche".

We may be more proficient in a particular area of our practice. By honing in on our skills in that area, we are creating a competitive edge, an area of expertise. You can position yourself as a leader in your own industry. Opposed to fitting in with a thousand of professionals offering the same service, we are now exposed to clientele as specializing in a certain skill. We can also appeal more specifically to a "target market".

2) Partnerships and Alliances Wouldn't you agree that we all need support? We need confirmation that we are heading in the right direction, a resource for assistance, or an honest opinion when we need advice. That's why it is essential to group ourselves together with a variety of individuals who are enlisted within a similar profession. It also increases our professional appearance to clients when we can refer them to an associate of ours who specializes in a particular area of expertise. (Hence the importance of "narrowing your niche"). There are many associations and links available to aid us in our endeavors. So make the connections needed and integrate yourself with a partner or an alliance and unite together with a support system. (E.g. become more involved with the community at www.solo-e.com/community/ where you will connect with individuals who are coming together to help you present yourself with the resources you need).

3) Maintaining Passion The word passion is described as: "enthusiasm, excitement, desire for a particular activity, or devotion to a cause". How do we maintain that enthusiastic approach? Focus on your core message. This is the innermost substance of your business. Maybe our business is a consulting firm. Why not focus on and think about how you are empowering other others to accomplish all that is needed of them by assisting them with your services and/or your products.

Try focusing on the message that you are communicating to others and try to incorporate that in your everyday duties. For instance, the core message of my company is growth. Not only personal growth, but business growth and helping other businesses grow, expand, and develop. I try to allow clients to see the quality of my concern and I enjoy the opportunity I have to help them. When they become more productive and increase profits, I benefit too! My motto is "If you grow ? I grow!"

Another way to maintain your passion is to find similarities in your personal values and your business. All of us have a certain moral code. We all have things that are of particular importance to us and if we harmonize that connection between our work ethic and our personal ethics we will be passionate about what we do. Most of us appreciate sincerity from our family, friends and associates; by reflecting the same sincerity to others we are highlighting its importance to us. Having synchronization with our personal and business values will bring about passion, thus helping us to enjoy the entrepreneurial experience.

From my business to yours, I wish you much success and delight in your journey.

Copyright, 2004, Amy Ewart

____________________________________________

Amy Ewart, President of Secretarial Solutions and Team Member of Solo-E (http://www.Solo-E.com), operates as a virtual administrator from her home office in Brampton, Ontario. She grants her clients the time to increase their client base and revenue potential by handling their administrative tasks while they handle growth strategies and networking. Her clients are spread across Canada and the U.S. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing and playing with her kids. She feels abundantly blessed to love what she does and be available for her two children and husband. To gain more free time and increase your billable hours visit http://www.secretarialsolutions.ca today. ____________________________________________

*********** Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com ? Keeping Solo Entrepreneurs Juiced in Business and in Life. Our team of Solo Entrepreneurs are comprised of small business experts who support others in finding business success with the flexibility and freedom to have a life, too. Network with other freelancers, self-employed and Solo Entrepreneurs in our forums, enjoy our articles and newsletter, and find other online training opportunities. ***********

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

In this Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007 file photo, Attorney General Michael Mukasey addresses the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Law and National Security, at the University Club in Washington.  Mukasey collapsed during a speech Thursday night, Nov. 20, 2008 and was being taken to a hospital. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)AP - Attorney General Michael Mukasey was hospitalized but conscious and alert early Friday after collapsing during a late-night speech to a conservative legal group.



In a Jun 27, 2008 file photo  Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., takes the stage with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., at a campaign event in Unity, N.H.,    President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate  Clinton as secretary of state after Thanksgiving, an aide to his transition said Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola/file)AP - President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state after Thanksgiving, a new milestone for the former first lady and a convergence of two political forces who fought hard for the presidency.



A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, November 20, 2008. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)AP - With no end in sight to economic bad news, President George W. Bush is about to ensure that millions of laid-off workers won't see their unemployment checks disappear as the year-end holidays approach.



An employee uses her mobile phone in front of an electronic stock board at the Korea Stock Exchange Market in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index jumped 55.04 points, or 5.8 percent, to close 1,003.73. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)AP - Most Asian and European markets rebounded Friday after sharp declines in recent days as investors scooped up battered financial and technology shares.



In this  Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 file photo, Lavennia Coover of Decatur, Neb., who gave up her 11 year-old son under Nebraska's safe haven law on Sept. 24, 2008, testifies before the Judiciary Committee, during a public hearing in Lincoln, Neb., on bills that would amend Nebraska's safe-haven law.  Friday, Nov. 21 will likely be the last day parents can abandon troubled teens at Nebraska hospitals, but lawmakers aren't patting themselves on the back. Instead, they're vowing to make sure families can get help in a crisis. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)AP - Lawmakers are poised to close a loophole that led to troubled teens being abandoned at Nebraska hospitals, but they aren't stopping there. Instead, they're vowing to make sure families can get help in a crisis.



Authorities inspect the wreckage of a Cessna plane after it was  raised from the Amazon River in Huanta, in the Peruvian state of Iquitos, on April 26, 2001. A Peruvian air force jet which mistook it for a drug flight gunned it from the skies Friday. American missionary Veronica 'Roni' Bowers and her 7-month-old daughter Charity were killed in the April 20, 2001 attack. A classified CIA report on the 2001 shoot down of a small plane carrying American missionaries by the Peruvian air force suggests U.S. officials may have misled Congress and withheld information from the Justice Department.   (AP Photo/Silvia izquierdo, file)AP - The CIA withheld information from the White House, Justice Department and Congress about the 2001 shooting down of a plane over Peru carrying an American missionary family, part of a yearslong cover-up of lethal violations in U.S. drug-interdiction procedures, according to a classified internal CIA report.



Dino Degracia, left, is told by a volunteer that his limit of canned goods is three as he collects food next to another client, Mark Hatfield, at a food bank operated by Northwest Harvest Monday, Nov. 17, 2008, in Seattle. As more strapped Americans rely on charity amid worsening economic gloom, operators of food banks and other charities are relying on the surprisingly resilient generosity of their neighbors. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)AP - As more Americans turn to charity amid worsening economic gloom, operators of food banks and other aid groups are relying on the surprisingly resilient generosity of their neighbors and finding that even when times are tough, people still give.



AP - R.J. Richard says he doesn't normally put his cell phone in his chest pocket. But he says it saved his life the one time he did.

In a Dec. 21, 2007, file photo Former Sen. Fred Thompson smiles while speaking in Sioux City, Iowa.  His former finance chairman, B.C. 'Scooter' Clippard, said Thompson told him Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2008,that he was returning to acting.  (AP Photo/Dave Weaver/File)AP - Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson is going back to the small screen after his foray into Republican presidential politics over the last year.



Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, right, is grabbed by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T. J. Houshmendzadeh after intercepting a pass intended for Houshmendzadeh in the fourth quarter of the NFL  football game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. The Steelers won 27-10.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)AP - Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers know exactly how to beat the Cincinnati Bengals — with or without Chad Ocho Cinco.



A trader listens to a colleague on the floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange, which closed down 3.45 percent in today's trading, in Makati City, Manila, November 20, 2008. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)Reuters - Euro zone demand is plunging and price pressures vanishing, business surveys showed on Friday, while central bankers weighed the prospect of deflation.



President-elect Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton attend a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida, October 20, 2008. (Jim Young/Reuters)Reuters - Retired Marine Gen. James Jones emerged as a leading contender for White House national security adviser as President-elect Barack Obama worked on Thursday to assemble his foreign policy team.



Leaders of the U.S. automotive industry testify at a hearing held by the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill, November 19, 2008. From left are General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner, Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli and Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)Reuters - Democratic congressional leaders, seeking to salvage a bailout of the Big Three automakers, demanded executives provide a business survival plan in exchange for their support of up to $25 billion in loans.



File photo shows members of a private security company on the rooftop of a house in Baghdad. US officials on Thursday told scores of firms offering security in Iraq that their personnel will lose immunity from prosecution under a new US-Iraq security pact due to take effect in January.(AFP/File/Patrick Baz)Reuters - Iraqi forces shut streets in Baghdad and placed snipers on rooftops on Friday before a protest by followers of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr against a pact allowing U.S. troops to remain for three more years.



Pedestrians walk past a Citibank branch in Singapore November 18, 2008. (Vivek Prakash/Reuters)Reuters - Citigroup Inc lost more than one-quarter of its market value on growing worries over whether it has enough capital to withstand billions of dollars of potential losses and despite new support from its largest individual investor.



The sign for the Verizon Wireless store is seen in Lakewood, Colorado September 11, 2007. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)Reuters - Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that some employees had gained unauthorized access and viewed a personal cell phone account held by President-elect Barack Obama that is now inactive.



U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey addresses the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California in this March 27, 2008 file photo. (Robert Galbraith/Files/Reuters)Reuters - U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey was "conscious, conversant and alert" at a local Washington hospital after collapsing while delivering a national security speech at a hotel, the U.S. Justice Department said late on Thursday.



President George W. Bush sits with Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont (not in picture) during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit leaders' retreat at the Sydney Opera House September 8, 2007. (Barbara Walton/Pool/Reuters)Reuters - George W. Bush makes his last scheduled trip abroad as U.S. president on Friday, heading to an Asia-Pacific summit where he will seek support for global financial reform and hold talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program.



A United Nations peacekeeper from South Africa rides atop of an armored vehicle in the North Kivu provinicial capital city of Goma. The UN Security Council approved an extra 3,000 peacekeeping troops to help end conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where fresh fighting erupted earlier in the day.(AFP/Roberto Schmidt)AFP - The UN Security Council approved an extra 3,000 peacekeeping troops to help end conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where fresh fighting erupted earlier in the day.



File photo shows the Italian destroyer ITS Durand de la Penne escorting the merchant vessel Victoria, chartered by the World Food Programme to deliver humanitarian assistance to Somalia. A more aggressive military approach is the only answer to an escalation of piracy off Somalia, the world's biggest oil tanker company said Friday.(AFP/NATO/HO/Po Luigi Cotrufo)AFP - A more aggressive military approach is the only answer to an escalation of piracy off Somalia, the world's biggest oil tanker company said Friday.




3 Simple Steps To Solving Problems

You can move beyond your stuck states by contemplating all the possible... Read More

Creating Reality ? Discovering the Magician Within

We all create our own reality each and every day, whether we... Read More

Creativity Management ? Don?t Write, Rewrite

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation... Read More

The 7 Simple Steps To Harnessing Your Creative Power And Achieving Incredible Success

Let me repeat what I believe is the most powerful and fundamental... Read More

Self-Care for Creative Artists: 5 Ways to Start Today

Self-care is the path to creative expression. By paying closer attention to... Read More

How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver

I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head. I love... Read More

You Dont Have To Be An Artist To Be Creative

Imagine that a block of ice has been set on your desk.... Read More

Fear & Creativity

My fears are most powerful when they're simmering just under the surface... Read More

Becoming Radiant: Boost Your Teams Creativity with Mind Mapping

I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly colorful, creative... Read More

Unleash Your Creativity and Think Your Way Out of the Box

The brain is a strange organ. It works in ways we don't... Read More

Who Wants To Be A Creative Genius?

Can You Learn Creativity?Have you ever watched Robin Williams do a stand-up... Read More

The Elements of Creativity: What-ifs?

What if there is no toilet paper and I am halfway through... Read More

Creativity Management ? Artists and Creativity

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation... Read More

Get your Creative Juices Flowing

Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our lives in... Read More

Shyness - Another View

We are all born shy, aren't we? When we see little children... Read More

How To Master Your Game

Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right way. Start... Read More

Creativity, Innovation, and Science ? Separate and Distinct or Not?

There is a pervasive belief that creativity and innovation are separate and... Read More

Computer In The Shop? What Do You Do Now?

Have you ever had one of those days when you just feel... Read More

5 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity

We're born creative. However, this innate characteristic becomes buried as we get... Read More

9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity

Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of... Read More

Are You A Creative Meathead?

Remember Archie Bunker's description of what a Meathead was on All in... Read More

Be Creative to Get Money

Creativity alone can make you money and no matter what anyone tells... Read More

Creativity: Getting Out of the Box

Leadership, especially in times of change, depends increasingly on the ability of... Read More

Creativity Management ? Collaboration NOT Competition

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation... Read More

Codifying Creativity

Can we codify creativity? Within these few words are a number of... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Think Creatively

You may have heard of Roger von Oech's book, A Whack on... Read More

Breathing Out Stage Fright

You're stepping onto the stage, amidst opening night flurry and last minute... Read More

A New Discovery Of An Old Secret

Some years ago, when the world seemed to close in on me... Read More

Mindfulness and Music: Things That Go Hmmm

Shhh... can you hear it?One of the most powerful forms of mindfulness... Read More

Top Ten Ways To Jump-Start Your Creativity

1 - Take A Tour of the Great Outdoors Consider a hike... Read More

Turning Obstacles Into Blessings

"Your capacity to be creatively alive in virtually all life circumstances will... Read More

Art, Artists and Vocation

"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the arts!"-Kurt VonnegutHow... Read More

Mind Power Games

Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why not use... Read More

Why Teach Thinking? Why Not ?

The word 'creativity' has so many diverse meanings and interpretations. I remember... Read More

How To Increase Creativity... Set Deadlines!

Deadlines are something all of us face from time to time. We... Read More

Find the Artist Within

Can anyone be an artist? People admiring my work often say,... Read More

Why Creative Visualization Works

Experience has shown that creative visualization works. It is quite possible to... Read More

Creativity Management ? The Value Of An Idea?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation... Read More

Overcoming Artists Block (part 2)

Once you are ready to start working again you will know it... Read More

Creativity Myths

Sustained myths about Creativity and Innovation lead to confusion, bad practice and... Read More

Rejuvenate & Re-Fuel Your Inner Drive

I believe that as solo-entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives we all need... Read More

Inspiration, Creativity, and Channeling ? Opening Ourselves to Greatness

Channeling is much easier to do than most people suspect. As a... Read More

Make Yourself Creative: Two Easy Idea-Generating Methods

Here are a couple of exercises to force yourself to come up... Read More

Creativity Management ? Its All About Routine

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation... Read More

Mindfulness and Independence: Observing Fireworks

"It's a free country," they say. "Celebrate our independence," I hear.Well, I'm... Read More

The Art of Keeping a Journal

Journal keeping is basically without rules. It is an uncensored invitation to... Read More

Is Your Team Suffering from FWTS?

Who do you know who is feeling stuck, under-performing, or dealing with... Read More