Summer is more often than not one of the most difficult seasons to remain motivated. Understandably so, as people are going on
vacation and the stock market becomes choppy. It is not hard to slowly slip into inactivity with entrepreneurial pursuits. These lazy days have often been referred to as the dog days of summer.
In Canis Major, meaning the big dog, Sirius is the brightest star. This also happens to be the brightest star in the entire sky. In fact, it is so bright that ancient Romans theorized that the earth received some heat from the star. During the summer months, Sirius rises and sets with the sun. This led the Romans to believe that, along with the sun, this star was responsible for the hot, sultry weather. These long, hot days were nicknamed after Sirius, the dog star, hense “the dog days of summer.”
Like many, I, too, suffer the effects of “the dog days,” so I am hoping to provide some much needed advice in this post. As previously stated, growing residual income requires time, lots of time. Some of the most time consuming tasks include using SEO to rank websites, allowing movement of high growth stocks, and product development, which is why one cannot fall prey to lazy summers.
Working on residual income during the summer months does not mean not enjoying vacations or time with family and friends. It simply allows for one to avoid the “oh no! I haven’t worked on my residual income for months!” Instead, we suggest having a fun summer and taking some time to work on residual income. Tim Ferriss’s “Mission Criticial Goal” approach is a great way to achieve this. I suggest making a list of the five most important goals to achieve for the next day. I also suggest writing down five to 10 personal goals. For example, eating a healthy breakfast, spending time with family, and working out.
Depending on personal preference, one or two lists can be used. I prefer two for one simple reason: the personal list typically stays the same while the business list changes almost daily. I don’t want to be just a successful businessman, but a healthy, successful human being. More often than not, people tend to focus too much on business, which is a difficult line to walk.
1. Efficiency & Effectiveness: It seems simple enough, “effectiveness is doing the things that get you close to your goals…[while] efficiency is performing a given task (whether important or not) in the most economical manner possible.” Taking these simple definitions, one can apply them when the dog days of summer and that lack of motivation settle in. Like most, I would rather be doing the things I love than developing products or making sales calls. However, if I do my work, the results will be well worth the hard work. This particular step is not at all fun, but waiting until tomorrow or the next day or the next to look at your residual income is not efficient or effective.
2. Daily Goals & Clarity: Some people are not motivated by goals, while others, such as myself, find them extremely useful in achieving a goal. The best way to achieve goals is to have at least one personal and one business goal set each day. For example, my business goal is to write a blog post, and my personal goal is to forego pop. Having one goal in each category allows my self confidence to build as I achieve more and more goals. Another piece of advice would be to slowly keep adding another goal to the lists each week and see how life improves, both professionally and personally, as you become more and more productive.
3. Recharge Your Battery: No one particularly wants his or her business to fall apart over the summer, but it is important to take time to relax and recharge. My personal preference is to do batch work. This kind of work involves completing similar work in one sitting in order to be more efficient. Rarely do Austin and I write one blog per session. It just makes more sense to crank it out all at once, as opposed to meeting up several times to get the same amount of work done. It is all about effectiveness and efficiency. Go relax and enjoy the beach with family and friends, after all, you have earned it. If you follow the first two steps, step three will come naturally.
4. Exercise: Running, biking, swimming, hiking, whatever it is, get active. Running allows me to clear my head and recharge daily. I do this for several reasons. First, exercise is proven to release positive chemicals in the brain, which, in turn, has a positive effect on us. Exercise also allows for a more positive outlook on life. Whatever the activity, just do it.
Summer has always been difficult for me in terms of work, so I hope this post is at least somewhat helpful. My hope is that everyone can use the tips above to improve business and life in general.
Do you have any tips to stay motivated? Leave them below.
-Chris
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