How to stay motivated as a small business Founder

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and unmotivated. Starting and running a business can be challenging, and all of us can feel discouraged at times on this rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship! However, it is undisputed that the key to success is to stay motivated and keep pushing forward. And I’ve recently been reading about one way to think about this- and that is by understanding your personality type and how it affects your behavior. This is where Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies come in.

The Four Tendencies is a personality framework developed by Gretchen Rubin in her book. It categorises people into four groups based on how they respond to expectations, both inner and outer. The four tendencies are Upholders, Obligers, Questioners, and Rebels.

Upholders are people who readily meet both inner and outer expectations. They're self-directed, reliable, and disciplined. They're the type of people who always meet their deadlines and stick to their New Year's resolutions. Upholders thrive on rules and procedures and find it easy to follow instructions.

For small business founders, being an Upholder can be a huge asset. They're self-motivated, so they don't need anyone else to hold them accountable. They're also reliable, so they can be counted on to meet deadlines and complete projects on time. However, Upholders can become rigid and inflexible, which can be a disadvantage in a dynamic and ever-changing business environment. They may struggle to delegate tasks or take breaks, even when it would be beneficial to do so.

Obligers, on the other hand, readily meet outer expectations but struggle with inner expectations. They're the type of people who need external accountability to stay motivated. Obligers thrive on meeting other people's deadlines and expectations, but they may struggle to meet their own goals. They may need a boss, a coach, or a friend to hold them accountable.

For small business founders, being an Obliger can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, they're great at meeting external expectations, which can make them valuable team members and reliable service provider. On the other hand, they may struggle to prioritize their own goals and projects. They may need to enlist the help of an accountability partner or Mentor to stay motivated and focused.

Questioners are people who need to understand why they're being asked to do something. They're the type of people who ask a lot of questions and need to know the rationale behind decisions. Questioners are logical, analytical, and independent-minded. They don't like to follow rules blindly and need to be convinced of the value of a particular task or project.

For small business founders, being a Questioner can be a strength. They're independent-minded and analytical, which can help them make informed decisions. They're also not afraid to challenge the status quo and may be able to identify innovative solutions to problems. However, Questioners may struggle to prioritize their workload and may need help to stay focused on the most important tasks so someone to help them refocus and work through their questions with them can also help.

Finally, Rebels are people who resist both inner and outer expectations. They're independent-minded and value their freedom above all else. Rebels don't like to be told what to do and may resist authority or rules. They need to feel a sense of autonomy and may struggle in traditional work environments.

For small business founders, being a Rebel can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they're independent and creative, which can help them come up with innovative solutions. On the other hand, they may struggle to stay focused and motivated without a clear sense of direction. They may need to find ways to structure their work that allow them to maintain their sense of autonomy while still achieving their goals.

I found this book so interesting and have particularly enjoyed thinking about how it transposes onto the world of Business Founders! Understanding your tendency can help you identify your strengths and where you may find things more challenging in terms of what motivates you - and knowing this can help you to develop strategies to stay the course.

You can find out which tendency you are by taking Gretchen’s quiz

I work one to one with business founders in a way that works for you to help you manage time most effectively and reach your goals