Staying focused and motivated when running a startup is daunting.  You feel like you are on an island and working to keep your head above water every day.  But it is all worth it.  You are building something that you believe in and want to see it grow and be all that you know it can be.

Building a start up is a lot like having children.  It takes much more effort that you ever expected, but you never question the time you put into it.  You love it will all your heart, but sometimes is it terribly difficult to be patient with its growth.

This brings me back to motivation.  I have run and been a part of a number of startups.  The ups and downs can be unbelievably challenging, but I have never missed it for the larger corporate world.  Keeping movitvated and focused is what helps move you and your baby business forward.  Being a C-level executive in any size organization is about managing and motivating your team.  What is the best way to motivate your team and keep the momentum pressing forward urgently?

I am always looking for tools and techniques to helps gain that 1% extra edge on my productivity.  Is productivity the same as motivation?  I don’t believe they are the same thing, but one greatly affects the other.  Without productivity and the feeling of making progress, my motivation has always taken a bit hit.  And motivating your employees can be just as important as motivating yourself.  I will be posting a few articles that I have found helpful at the end of my post.

So back to the main topic that started me thinking down this path.  Building momentum in your startup is a sum of productivity and motivation.  You are motivated to succeed.  You must be productive to move the plan forward.  If you can incrementally improve your motivation and productivity every day or at least every week, you can make huge strides in reaching your goals.