How to Create Momentum in Your Business

10 mindset shifts to make towards creating & sustaining momentum in your business.

Remember as a kid you would run as fast as you could to get enough momentum to slide to the end of your Slip ‘N Slide, or as far as you can down the snow hill? The rush from this experience was incredible. It was exciting.

When you have a business, there are few things more important than knowing how to create momentum in your business. Momentum is often misunderstood and understated, when in fact momentum is essential in creating a successful, sustainable business. Despite its importance, one of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs face is sustaining momentum.

Momentum comes from the Latin word “movere” meaning “to move.” It is the “impetus and driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.”

The key for any business owner or company leader is knowing how to create momentum in your business and use it as a platform for business success and growth.

The Ebbs and Flows of Business Momentum

When we start a business, momentum seems to come more easily. We are excited about the launch, are passionate about our product or services, and our adrenaline takes over and kicks in repeatedly, giving us daily pushes forward in momentum.

But as that early flourish dissipates, and the demands on you and your time increase, challenges show up in sometimes surprising places. Your never-ending to-do list becomes a source of stress and makes keeping a strong momentum more challenging.

So, the big question is: How can you create momentum in your business, while running your business?

10 Mindset Shifts to Create Momentum in Your Business

Here are 10 mindset shifts we recommend to our clients when they ask how they can create and sustain momentum in their business:

1. Remember Your “Why”

We love this quote from Mark Twain, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

If you feel momentum slipping, remember your motivations and “why” for getting into this business. Why did you start your business? What’s your purpose?

Purpose helps with flow. People who find their purpose tend to live in the flow of their universal stream of consciousness. They allow things to happen and change them, rather than wasting their energy trying to fight the change. When you are living your purpose, you tend to challenge yourself more and battle against your fears.

Knowing your “why” helps you to re-focus, re-ignites passion, provides clarity, helps you stay focused, and keeps you in integrity. It helps you maintain your momentum.

2. Honour Your Priorities

Having priorities helps you identify what’s truly needed in your life and business, rather than doing what someone else feels is important. Priorities guide you in life’s decisions and keep you on track.

Most importantly, priorities give you the confidence to say “no” when you are asked to do something that is not in alignment with your priorities right now. Priorities help you identify what truly needs to get done now.

3. Focus on Focused Action

Did you ever write “I’m great at multitasking” on a job application? Well, actually multi-tasking isn’t a very productive working style! Those who split their attention between multiple tasks at once aren’t necessarily getting more done.

In fact, this working style means you are potentially getting less done, or not giving each task your 100% effort. When you multi-task, it takes longer to complete the tasks than if you focused on a single task at a time.

The truth is, you get the most out of what you (singularly) focus on the most. We suggest our clients start each day, or week with a clear, focused intention of what their main goals are to complete for that day/week and stay focused on those.

4. Create SMART and Stretch Goals

To help you create momentum in your business, we recommend creating SMART and Stretch goals then make sure each task you do directly contributes to the successful completion of these goals.

When defining your goals make sure they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely). We also recommend challenging yourself with Stretch goals too. These are goals that may be slightly beyond your current capabilities. They require you to think differently or change approaches to succeed.

5. Stop Trying and DO!

To help you create momentum in your business, we recommend creating SMART and Stretch goals then

Like the great Master Yoda said: “Do or do not, there is no try.”

Every action you take, whether it be big or small, is a step. If you want to know how to create momentum in your business, you need to take steps to take action:

 Act more than you talk

• Focus on the solution, not the problem.
• Be proactive, not reactive.
• Pick up the phone, instead of waiting for an email reply.
• Connect with someone in person, when it’s the better choice.
• Push the agenda, don’t wait to “hear back”.

6. Be Agile. Be Nimble

The world is not static. Things change, schedules change, priorities change, both in our lives and in the lives of others. Change is part of life and part of business.

As a business owner, you need to be agile, nimble, flexible, and you need to be able to make decisions quickly, sometimes on the fly. Pivot when necessary and to re-prioritize when the timing doesn’t add up the way you want/need it to.

7. Celebrate Everything

Celebration is important and fun. We encourage everyone to acknowledge all wins, no matter how small. This can take many forms, including practicing gratitude or celebrating yourself with a gift or reward. However you choose, make sure that you celebrate when you reach your milestones.

8. Cultivate Self-Care

Our energy is not effortless and endless. We’re human, so we need to recharge our batteries to get the strength to keep our momentum moving forward. Taking time out for you is so important to maintaining your energy levels, and your sanity.

There’s a hard truth about being an entrepreneur: the “to-do” list never ends, and you’ll always have more goals than you can achieve. You can’t maintain momentum if you’re tired and out of energy. Cultivate a self-care routine that energizes and nourishes you. Taking great care of yourself is one of the secrets to sustainable momentum.

9. Be Consistent

Consistency beats talent when talent doesn’t show up to the party. Keep showing up even if you think no one else cares or notices you. Keep creating even if no one is giving you praise.

Keep going and working on your craft no matter what.

10. Expect the Unexpected

When we are faced with an unexpected obstacle, many of us stop in our tracks. As you can imagine, this makes our momentum come to a grinding halt. You WILL face obstacles and the unexpected on your path, but it doesn’t have to make your momentum stop.

When you come up to an obstacle, slow down and consider what you can do to step around it and continue on your journey.

Create Momentum in Your Business

When you know how to create momentum in your business, everything seems to roll forward, stuff gets done, things happen, customers are happy, and extraordinary results are produced.

Momentum creates motivation. Motivation creates opportunity and opportunity creates results. That is how it works and that is why every entrepreneur needs to learn to create momentum in their business.

Another great way to keep your momentum going is by attending networking and industry events. Check out some of our upcoming programs and events for inspiration.