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I’m not sure how many small agency owners ever have the time to read blogs, feel motivated, or feel inspired when they’re juggling projects, writers, videographers, analysts, consultants, and personal dynamics.
But it needs to be said, motivation is not an easy thing to find. Consider what your daily grind looks like, or the lack of motivation that always creeps into our daily lives. Then add the ups and downs we all face with external aspects like search engines, deliverables, and, did I mention, personal dynamics?
Find your Ikigai
I love hiking and taking my dog for walks. Recently, I’ve been listening to motivational podcasts and using the Calm app to stay balanced and focused during my hectic days. These walks are a great way to boost motivation when it’s hard to stay on track.
The quiet moments in the woods or on the beach can lift your spirits and renew your drive. Watching birds play or spotting a wild deer does wonders for motivation—these experiences have shown me the true power of staying inspired.
I wanted to share this because motivation is as crucial as what the Japanese call your Ikigai, your raison d’être. Finding motivation when you’re emotionally drained, dealing with life’s challenges, and stuck in a monotonous routine is essential. It’s about discovering your Ikigai. This deeper purpose fuels your passion and keeps you moving forward, no matter what life throws at you.
The first lesson of Ikigai is understanding its meaning and discovering your purpose. I read somewhere the two most important days of your life are when you’re born, and when you find your Ikigai.
Based on years honing my skills in two careers and decades of experience I found my Ikigai by discovering what gives my life meaning. In my first career it was about working closely with people, feeding them, cooking, managing clubs and restaurants. I loved working in the hospitality industry. I achieved my pinnacle when I co-owned a successful cafe in Noe Valley.
But after years of abusing my hands and having no life, my doctor and I decided it was time to find something else that excited me as much.
Care Plan
So I went back to the drawing board at 35, I had to find something that would keep me motivated but as excited to show up for work every day. I was living in San Francisco and the World Wide Web was fast and furious. I had already discovered entertainment on there but it had not really gripped into our psyche.
Remember back then, everyone was afraid of the WWW the digital age was just starting to take off (remember the dot.com) I was there, in the thick of it. I discovered my working with people previously helped in figuring out how to keep them included in my long term goals.
So how do you go about that? What is your sense of purpose in life, what are your aspirations? Do you have any…ultimately, none of those things matter or help in achieving your goals if you don’t have a concrete plan to embrace your Ikigai.
Setting Clear Goals
I’m sure you’ve read this or heard it on some motivational article, but it’s important. If you don’t know what your goal is, you’re going to waste time, money and you may as well throw pasta on the wall and see if it’s going to stick. It’s not only important but it also builds trust which is a huge aspect of being a good leader. Setting these goals will give you direction and a sense of accomplishment when you achieve them.
I had interned at agencies while in school. I knew agencies were fast and furious, with lots of different component. Back then there were still research groups including story boards. It was creative, it was fresh, and I was in love. I sent out to work at the best agencies around.
Building a Positive Work Environment
When you’re working with a team it’s always going to be time consuming to find everyone’s rhythm, how they work well together or not. I’m thankful that I’ve had my team for over a decade but that’s not always the case in agencies.
Having a positive atmosphere is a great moral booster, there’s always going to be a contrarian in the group and one that just doesn’t know how to stop chattering. We can use a bunch of meme and I’m sure you’ll recognize one or two from your office. I’m still torn about going out for drinks after work, since it’s a hard line to cross when you’re in a leadership position. More on that later.
Invest in What You love
Continuously learning your craft, is so important, especially if you’re working in a fast pace digital environment. I’ve gotten 90% of my experience from working hands on, and 10% from education, books, podcasts, webinars, conferences.
Actually, come to think of it, in the old days it was hanging out in forums and smokey skype rooms. Whatever your passion is, feed it by learning more about it. We actually are creating a newsletter that takes me about 30 minutes to put together because I already know what we are offering our readers. It makes huge tasks that could take someone hours, only a few minutes.
Trusting Your Team is Key
I get it, it’s not easy to delegate especially when you’re not familiar with your coworker, but it’s important to start out by dealing out trust to your team members. After all it’s why you hired them and why you’re committed time and energy into nurturing a give and take relationship.
I’ve been accused of micromanaging, and I probably do sometimes, but it’s the pressure of the job sometimes. You have clients that are waiting, writers that need direction, and video clips to be created. Sometimes you must jump in and find out what’s going on. Ultimately, with these small steps, I’ve been inspired to let go of the reigns and watch our goals and progress born.
Self-Care and Balance
That’s something you won’t read too much about, but I can tell you from experience years I’ve been involved in the SEO industry. I’ve seen so many of my colleagues, friends, conference acquaintances either die at an early age or commit suicide.
Mental health issues seems to follow a lot of the entrepreneurs out there. Maintain a healthy work-life balance. As much as I’m guilty of not having set hours in my day, I force myself to follow certain working hours.
I used to work weekend, early morning, late night, there was never a clear path. So in the last three years I’ve made it a point to prioritize self-care in order to avoid burnout and ensure I remain energetic and focused on leading my agency effectively. My team depends on me, my clients pay for my expertise not only in the tasks we need to accomplish, but to keep my team motivated in order to create and give their best to the project.
In closing
In closing, it’s funny to think that I could write another 1,000 or even 2,000 words about becoming a self-contained agency. I even started another agency with a partner called BStudio, where I was a designer working with HTML, Flash, and Illustrator.
That feels like a lifetime ago. When I reflect on whether I would have done things differently, I wonder if I’d still be leading a team I love today or working as an executive at another agency.
No one knows for sure, but I can tell you this: I wouldn’t have had the privilege of working with the incredible people, clients, and projects that have shaped Level343, LLC over the past 30+ years.
In conclusion, close your eyes, be in the moment, and be thankful for all you have. Remember to always look ahead through the windshield of your life, not the rearview mirror. And if you’re feeling the common symptoms of doubt or uncertainty, positive affirmations can help you stay focused and motivated on your journey.
