How can entrepreneurs stay motivated when facing tight deadlines?

It is vital for me not to forget the ultimate goal. The goal that made you start the adventure of entrepreneurship. This will bring you back the passion that made you start. There are other aspects that help me keep focus and motivated: •Divide and conquer. Divide the main objective into secondary objectives "easily" achievable helps to keep the spirits up. •Surrounding yourself with a team that believes in your idea and in you. •Discuss with a reference or a confidant. •For me, the sport. It helps me keep my persistence and resilience at the highest level. •Breath deeply. In any case, not to forget that there will be stones on the way. Learning from failures is a priceless lesson that will undoubtedly help to achieve the ultimate goal.

No entrepreneur in their right mind would subscribe to the idea of being realistic or setting pragmatic goals. It's a contradiction in itself. Motivation is not something that can be cultivated, it is innate and instinctive for an entrepreneur. The constant presence of looming deadlines often disrupts well-laid plans, as finding a support system is challenging. It comes with the territory and one just has to take it on the chin. Entrepreneurship is a voyage fueled by passion, persistence, and resilience, often with delayed gratification. The ability to withstand these challenges, extract valuable lessons from them, and continue moving forward is what sets them apart

For me, goals have little to do with realism. Rather, your goals, or lets call them desires, must come from within; what you really want and not what you think you want, think you should want or believe what others want you to want. It is too easy to get swept up in the ambitions of cofounders, investors, strategic partners, or some combination of all of the above. We're not talking about following your passion, though that is part of it. Rather, your goal should be no less than a fierce, burning ambition to create a new reality and join with people who have that same burning desire. The details of who, how, when and where, along with the self-discipline to stick with it, flow a lot easier once you've brought what is within to the surface.

It is simple. Set ambitious goals, but do never bet on achieving them. That keeps you out of trouble. There is always a plan B, C, D. cheers Thomas

1. Have a clear vision of where you're going (when things get tough, look at the vision again) 2. Establish OKRs for 3 years, 1 year and break it down to quarterly and weekly targets 3. Motivation comes and goes, discipline is forever. Build a system, stay disciplined 4. Ensure you're surrounded by the right people 5. Balance is key! Good sleep, recovery etc, all help manage stress and keep you productive in a sustainable way 6. Hire a good coach!

In my experience.. In the whirlwind of entrepreneurship, juggling numerous tasks became overwhelming. Realizing I couldn’t do it all alone, I learned the art of prioritizing and delegating. Identifying crucial tasks and assigning responsibilities allowed me to focus on what truly mattered. Delegation wasn’t just about sharing the load; it was about maximizing efficiency and achieving goals collectively. Embracing this strategy not only eased the burden but also empowered my team, fostering a more productive and harmonious work environment.

Delegating is a very difficult process for many entrepreneurs. They are not taught to manage people, instead are naturally visionaries and optimists, Two incredible qualities. Delegation becomes a task that must be learned and it takes practice. Same is true for prioritizing, learning methods that work well such as grouping categories becomes learned and after some time becomes habit.

When you prioritize your goals make four quadrants. 1. Important & Urgent 2. Important and not Urgent 3. Not important but Urgent 4. Not important and not Urgent Do the first now Schedule the second Delegate the third Do nothing on the fourth

Delegating is important AND staying in control is important too. This seems contradictory, however it can be achieved if you spend time together in building the high level plans. The plans need to move the organization towards the vision (to inspire the teams) and be focused on the right priorities that deliver the short term results needed. Therefore the priorities need to have a clear: Who, Does What, by When. Once that plan is in place you can delegate fully and review monthly (or weekly if needed). In other words it allows control and empowerment at the same time.

i think entrepreneurs are pretty good in tight timeframes - it plays to their creativity but also to their resilience; key is to know what you are good at and what you aren't and if you need help and decide quickly. also, play to the 80/20 rule -what gets you over the line to meet requirements without paralysis that it needs to be perfect

If you don’t succeed at prioritizing yourself (physical health, mental health), then you won’t be able to prioritize others and your career. Working out physically has been a huge benefit for me and my journey, it provides two major benefits: 1. Surge of mental clarity and confidence 2. Physical strength and endurance for long days and nights Work/Life balance is also fundamental. Family is also a huge part of this. Take trips, make moments and memories that will give you true purpose. These breaks will disconnect you from the busy work and reflect on the bigger picture. When you return you will be recharged, re focused and prepared for the next hill you will be climbing.

In the start-up phase, work-life balance is often not realistic. Entrepreneurs need to commit fully to their goals, knowing this imbalance is part of the early journey. Honestly, I’ve never sat around, looking back with other entrepreneurs, and waxed nostalgic about all the work-life balance we had when starting our companies. Nevertheless, it is crucial to mix in strategic rest. Embracing practices like power naps can be vital. These rests are not just breaks; they're tools to boost productivity and creativity. Encouraging your team to nap when grinding can sharpen mental agility and problem-solving.

It is always beneficial to take a breather and recharge before returning to continue working on the prioritized tasks, so that we do not overwork until mentally fatigued.

Amid the hustle, I discovered the power of breaks and self-rewards. Taking short, intentional pauses rejuvenated my focus and creativity. It wasn’t just about resting; it was a strategic move to recharge. Moreover, rewarding myself after achieving milestones became a game-changer. Whether it was a small treat or a moment of leisure, these rewards served as incentives, motivating me to push harder and celebrate each accomplishment along the journey.

I get away twice a year for 3-day spiritual retreats with zero connection to electronics. I also make time everyday to make sure that I have gotten my proper sleep, eat healthy, exercise and have moments of quiet and peace. Entrepreneurs are on 24/7

You have to let people figure it out themselves and take their decisions. Only after then you should give feedback. And then usually it works best when it is more like a discussion of alternative approaches to the original problem. This is how it is then perceived as a mutual brainstorming to solve something rather than imposing a way of doing.

Recognizing the value of feedback and support transformed my entrepreneurial journey. Seeking input from mentors and peers offered invaluable insights, guiding me to refine ideas and strategies. Accepting constructive criticism became a catalyst for growth. Moreover, leaning on a supportive network provided encouragement during challenging times. Acknowledging that I didn’t have to navigate the journey alone empowered me to make better decisions and strive for continuous improvement.

It is important to know who to seek inputs/feedback from for which cases/issues. Just asking everyone for feedback all the time is also counter productive. The time spent to think about this is a great investment.

Building a coalition of support is crucial for success. Here's my proposed 4 support functions: 1. Personal champions - Family & friends that will energize you and lift you up when you're down. Having a single partner that empowers you through life is the major success behind many entrepreneurs 2. Brain board - Professional or personal partners that challenges you to be better every day. This can also be people you "look up to" and might not interact with. 3. Advisory council - A group of people that you go to for advise at any time, often referred to as your mentors or experienced professionals 4. Accountability partners - This can be either your board of directors, trusted employees or a dedicated chosen person that lifts your standards

Entrepreneurship is not about you, it is not about your company, it is about the problem you solve. Focus your feedback on how you are solving the problem and what could improve this.

Your alignment to the team, and or company's purpose is very powerful and when I have the feeling of getting stuck, I try to zoom out, look at the bigger picture and ensure I am still on the path that leads me closer to making the purpose/vision a reality.

One of the key motivations in an intrapreneurship or an entrepreneurship journey is “the vision of where we would want to be and what we would want to do in the days to come” and what is important to note each and every day is whether “the current journey is paving a way for the vision or not”. In my opinion, there is no bigger driving force than the “purpose” itself for any journey.

This idea is really important when you get to a point where you do not know in which direction to go, and you are lost. Your original vision isn't working, for whatever reason. Those are the moments that make the entrepreneur. Only passion for the original mission can lift one out of those moments of impass. And that takes us back to the beginning: Do not begin the journey unless you have a reason larger than yourself for stepping off the ledge. Then, when you are lost, that reason will be your compass.

If you want to be successful, you need to “live” your purpose, share it with your team and make sure that it’s understood and lived by everyone in the same direction. Be honest, keep it simple and focused.

It’s common practice for companies to instill core values, mission statements, and tenets into their organizations. But, why do individuals not invent their own too? Come up with own your core purpose and value system, and when you’re in the midst of a challenging decision, look back to that core purpose to help guide your decision-making. You can take this a step further and organize your own personal board of directors aligned with your core purpose and mission, too.

To add on the above, I think that staying focused on one task/thing at a time is very important. The less the more, and the more the less. Keep it simple!

Having tight deadlines is a blessing in disguise; it helps you figure out second-ways out unconsciously. You figure out new solutions, new ways of getting things done; and eventually identify alternative approaches that you never had in your bigger picture. As an example; our little Startup has everyone hailing from a technical background, but not all of them want to code. At the time of crisis, and unforeseen situations, we have started to accept the fact that everyone needs to code (atleast sometimes). There’s more to it; now we have identified who does what best, and who in the team can meet harsh deadlines in a certain domain of work. Yes the day the deadline approaches is hard; but what it gives back (later) is totally worth it!

Learn from challenges Entrepreneurial learning from challenges is a valuable process that can lead to personal and professional growth. Facing and overcoming challenges provides entrepreneurs with important insights and skills that contribute to their overall development like problem-solving, improving decision making abilities and enhanced leadership skills

Give yourself Permission. There will never be a right time to start or anyone telling you that you need to start now, give yourself permission to dream, to start NOW, to act NOW Onwards and upwards my friends 🚀

Discipline overcomes motivation every time. If you can build habits and principles that steer you, you can begin to think of yourself as "I'm a person that does x" (or "doesn't do y" if trying to break a negative habit) and it becomes part of your nature and persona, no longer a task to done or avoided. I highly recommend reading Make Your Bed by former SEAL (retired) US Navy Admiral McRaven.