870: How to Get Motivated When You’re Tired and Uninspired

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2:01Leave behind the people, the places, the accounts that drain you or make you feel bad about yourself. Like I love to find accounts that aren't in the same niche or category of myself, but that are creative and maybe on this parallel pursuit so that I don't fall into the comparison and game. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a$300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online business that feels even better than it looks all from my house in small town, Minnesota with my family.

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3:18This is the Gold Digger Podcast. Do you ever have one of those mornings or weeks or maybe even months where your motivation feels MIA? Like the to-do list is waiting and your calendar is full and the last thing you want to do is any of it? Yeah, I've been there. Whether it's a weird funk you can't shake off or just one of those off seasons where inspiration feels so far away, I want you to know you are not broken, you are absolutely not lazy, and you're definitely not alone. We all hit those low energy, low motivation stretches, and it always seems that they show up at the most unexpected and the worst times.

3:59So in today's episode, I am sharing five things that I continue to come back to when I feel totally stuck. These aren't hacks or hustly tips. Think gentle nudges, mindset resets, and simple practices to help you find your footing again. I actually recorded this one during a time when I really needed these reminders myself. And honestly, I still revisit them when I'm feeling off or overwhelmed. So whether your spark just feels a little dim or you're deep in the blah zone, press play. We will walk through this together. The first thing to do is to get quiet with yourself. Like when my general mood responds with like a big fat note for the majority of my responsibilities, I know that it's usually this sign that something deeper is happening, that there's something more going on.

4:46Like we don't just randomly land at a state of burnout or being uninspired. It's generally this path that usually involves taking on too much or having too much pressure on ourselves or being out of alignment or feeling tied to too many things. So if you're sitting here today and you're feeling like your workload or your to-do list or your tasks, responsibilities, or even just life are all too much that you'd rather ignore or procrastinate on one or all of those things and to take them on, I want for you to listen to what's happening externally and then try going quiet to check in with yourself internally.

5:25Like actually close your eyes and check in with yourself. Get curious about why you feel unmotivated or stressed or anxious. The biggest thing that I can recommend is don't keep ignoring or numbing the problem and assume that it's going to resolve without getting to the root of it. There's likely a reason for why you're feeling this way. It reminds me of when our springtime comes and we get tons of dandelions in our yard. And if you just pull off the stems, the root's still there. It's going to keep growing back. And so we've got to stop just ripping off the tops and not examining what's below the surface.

6:01This article from Business Insider shares research behind what actually impacts our motivation. And it says, you cannot be pressured into taking initiative. Performance is highest when people take it themselves. So take a quick stock of the stressors and the pressures in your life. Do you have a zillion deadlines that you simply can't keep up with? Do you feel like people are counting on you to do too much? Did you agree to do something that you simply wish you wouldn't have? What do you actually need to be managing and controlling that's currently on your plate? Is there anything that you can hand off or get rid of or communicate?

6:38The other thing that can be powerful in taking back our own initiative and drive is boundaries. Like I am a major fan of boundaries. So maybe it's time that you review what kinds of boundaries that you have in place. And if there's anywhere that they're lacking, that's adding to your feelings of being drained. Do people expect to hear back from you at all hours of the day? Or do they come to you left and right for last minute support or projects? All of this affects our autonomy, which in turn affects our motivation. Because when it suddenly feels like our lives are being run by everyone else except us, it's so easy to become exhausted and to lose steam.

7:16So first things first, get quiet with yourself. Take inventory and do your best to remove the unnecessary from your plate if you can. Seek out ways to protect your time and to create margin within your days. I know it's easier said than done, but take the lead in setting standards and boundaries that don't allow others to pressure you to take initiative, but that allow you to get to the heart of your why, which will generally motivate you far more than any other human being could. Number two is this. Don't be afraid to play. this past year and a half i've spent more time playing than i think i ever have before in my adult life and it's probably this combination of things one coco being a toddler loving being on the go and exploring to quarantine almost forcing us to get creative and playful in our own environment and backyard and three going through a season of pregnancy encouraging me to soak up this time as a family of three before we add our sweet little fourth i have been laughing at the ways we've been playing because it's so simple.

8:21Like we make these little obstacle courses on Coco's playground, or she loves playing with couscous, like the actual like noodle, like substance that comes in our HelloFresh that I can't eat because I'm gluten-free. We keep the dried couscous and she buries things in it and she has bowls of couscous. And the other day she said, couscous, I missed you. Playing doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. And the funniest thing has happened as we've spent so much time these past months biking and hiking and hunting for bugs and going on family walks and putting together puzzles and scribbling and coloring books.

8:58What's happened is, is that my work life and my creativity and my motivation in general have seemed to soar during this time. Of course, like anyone else, I 100 % have my off moments, my funky days, but overall, I've noticed that my approach to even my more serious responsibilities has this lighter, more easygoing, it almost feels more natural and relaxed. And I absolutely credit a lot of that to this time that we've spent just simply playing for the sake of playing. It's kind of like I've found this new identity of myself, one that appreciates playing, not in terms of creation, not in terms of monetization, not in terms of business, but just playing for the sake of playing.

9:40That article from Business Insider that I referenced earlier actually says that the biggest roadblocks that we collectively face in achieving our goals and desires are two things, leisure and sleep. And I know we're talking about play here, but I feel like both of these activities can easily fall into this category, right? I mean, rest and sleep are truly forms of play for adults. Let's be real. And leisure to me absolutely incorporates play. And it also includes relaxing, exploring, taking time off, spending days unplugged from responsibilities, and just allowing myself to be. By definition, leisure literally means free time.

10:19And yet so many of us burn the candle at both ends and feel guilty for even taking a half day off of work, not to mention a full week or two away. And we wonder like, why can we not get motivated to write that newsletter or post that new blog post or send off that client survey? Trust me, you deserve to be able to let go, to be carefree, to find what your passions even are if you've forgotten into play. Brene Brown says the opposite of play is not work. The opposite of play is depression. She's found in her research that play is actually vital for human development. And so incorporating ways to play is not only a benefit to our motivation, it's imperative for living a full and healthy life.

11:04So if you have kids, get on the floor with them, watch them play, get inspired with how they create their own fun. And if you don't have kids, think about yourself as a child? What would your child age self be disappointed to know that you no longer do? Like, what would they be sad to find out that you've let go of as you've become an adult? Maybe that is where you should start. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money. Okay. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them.

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13:35And if it helps, we can call it seeking inspiration rather than research. But sometimes when I'm feeling utterly unmotivated, it's really a problem with feeling creatively fatigued or drained or uninspired. Now, this might sound counterintuitive to focus on someone else's work, but it actually helps to see how others are showing up and pursuing their dreams and goals as a way to give ourselves a boost. Like I'll sometimes jump on Instagram or Pinterest to scan accounts that I admire and to save posts that I love, or I'll turn on an audio book or an uplifting podcast that helps reshape my perspective and feel more in tune with my vision and my desires and my priorities.

14:16Like sometimes it just takes someone else's spark to light our own fires again. So here's what I don't want you to do. Don't mistake market research for comparison because that's super easy to do. And we can quickly fall down that rabbit hole of looking at all these other people and their amazing work and wishing that we could operate or perform or achieve at the same level. I want you only to seek out people and accounts that leave you feeling energized and inspired and creative and just plain good after viewing them and leave behind the people, the places, the accounts that drain you or make you feel bad about yourself.

14:55Like I love to find accounts that aren't in the same niche or category of myself, but that are creative and maybe on this parallel pursuit so that I don't fall into the comparison game. Like finding talented graphic designers or architects or even fashion designers to inspire me in different ways without me dwelling on the fact that they're doing things and that I'm just feeling stuck. So do some intentional inspiration scrolling, but keep in mind, this practice only works if you consume the contents that lift you up, that inspire you to take action towards showing up as the best version of you, not a secondhand version of someone else.

15:35Use this quote research as inspiration, not for imitation, but when you see what others might be looking for or find content that inspires you, it might spur you back into creation mode and motivation. Number four is to change up your routine. So I recently was talking to my neighbors and I said, you know, sometimes routines can turn into ruts and I meant it. Sometimes we get on this hamster wheel of showing up or creating that it feels impossible to get off of it. But something that once gave us clarity and structure may have become something that now makes us feel stuck or trapped. Sometimes a simple shakeup in your norm is all that it takes for a refreshed outlook and recalibrated approach to what needs to get done.

16:22Routines can help us to know what to expect and how the day is going to play out, but sometimes it can get us in a rut if things become too predictable or practiced. I've truthfully never been a big morning routine gal for this reason, and I think it's because what works for me one month is often different the next month, and that's honestly okay in my opinion. Like if you notice that a certain regular activity in your day is draining you or a sequence of events is no longer serving you, evaluate what you do have control over, what you can do to change a course, and try to find a new rhythm that ignites and encourages your energy.

16:59Whether it's shifting your priorities to match your energy, changing your environment, or switching up your creative process, take a look at which routines fuel you and which ones drain you. If you're able to introduce something new to your routine, like a midday walk, change where you're working halfway through the day, or switch up how it is that you start your day. Maybe you notice you get this burst of feel good vibes from warm lemon water in the morning, or that you're more creative when you don't just grab your phone right away when you wake up, or maybe that you function your best when you get some movement in before sitting down to your desk.

17:34pay attention to what's working and also pay attention if those things shift like i said just because you start a new routine doesn't mean it has to be your forever normal give yourself the space and the time to notice your flow states notice what lights you up but also pay attention to what distracts you or pulls you off course like i think most of us can admit that our phones and our devices might just be pulling us off course so maybe even just starting with moving those out of our spaces could be a little boost of concentration and motivation that we need. Whatever it is, don't let your routines become ruts.

18:11Make sure that you're checking in with yourself throughout the day to notice. Just become someone who notices more. Number five, connect with others. So a few months ago, I met with a bunch of entrepreneurs in Napa. It was our first meetup in well over a year thanks to the pandemic. And I honestly hadn't realized how much I needed time with people who understand me, who are on this journey, who are working hard behind the scenes. It was so refreshing and rejuvenating. And I left just feeling so motivated to get back to work. This journey of entrepreneurship can be so isolating. And when you're trucking along solo day in and day out, it can be so easy to lose steam and lose sight of where you're going or the impact that you're actually making.

18:58Like even when you have a team, whether they're remote or not, you are the only one who experiences the height of pressure and the responsibility to carry out all the things that you need to do in your business, from scaling to serving to simply showing up. It's likely your family and your friends probably don't get it. And so often we're stuck just holding in our frustrations or questions and pushing through them because there's a job to get done. Like spoiler alert, I am totally guilty of this too. But there is just something beautiful when we intentionally try to connect with others, to find others to lean on.

19:33And when we challenge ourselves to share how we're doing or where we're getting stuck, even though it might feel like it at times, you don't have to go this journey alone. So get in touch with someone or even ask a loved one to remind you about what you're good at or what you're an expert in or why what you're doing matters, how you make a difference. sometimes that feedback can spur your motivation to keep going maybe joining a mastermind would get you into a community of like-minded people to lean on or to troubleshoot or commiserate with or even just joining free facebook groups for business owners or people within your field that can be hugely beneficial to just not feeling alone and if you didn't know we actually have a massive community of gold digger listeners waiting for you so if you want to join us just head to golddiggerpodcast.com.

20:21We have a link there that will take you right to our group so that you can join. But the point is, it's up to you to seek out ways to create a sounding board in a community, even if it's small, that can help keep you grounded because that can be an enormous motivator to just simply feel understood and seen. When we were young, we dreamed of castles and fairy tales. And as we grow up, those dreams might shift into building something real, like starting a business. You need a website, payment systems, a logo, and a way to reach customers. It can all be overwhelming and confusing, but thankfully that's where today's sponsor Shopify comes in.

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21:48Anyone who knows me knows that I'm all about creating spaces where people actually want to be. So when we started hosting on Airbnb, it honestly felt like the most natural thing in the world. And it's turned into one of the best decisions we've ever made. Over the years, we've hosted hundreds of couples in our little spaces. We've had so many repeat guests come back and we've created this incredible community, not just with our guests, but also with the people who help us care for our space. Whether you've bought properties as an investment or have unused rooms waiting to be shared, hosting on Airbnb is a practical and profitable choice.

22:23And just think about it. If you've put a ton of time, effort, and work into your home, someone out there probably would love to experience it while they're traveling. So next time you're planning a trip or want to make some extra income from your spaces, you should definitely host on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Now, last but not least, find a place to start. Sometimes when I know my workload isn't overly crazy or that my boundaries aren't out of whack and I'm just feeling plain unmotivated for what seems like no reason at all, it's often just because I'm distracted.

23:00I'm pursuing the wrong things or I'm unfocused or I'm dreading something that literally won't take as much time as I'm thinking it will. sometimes we set the grandest loftiest dreams in front of us but we refuse to make any sort of progress because we tell ourselves it's too big it's intimidating I can't do it but in those times it helps to just simply start moving like start something anything that will help you gain momentum like sometimes we just need to prove to ourselves that we are capable of making progress or moving ahead. And that can be the momentum that turns into motivation. It's kind of like working out.

23:39There are so many times where I don't necessarily feel like exercising, but I know that I'll feel better if I get some movement in, even if it's a short duration. And so I start the physical action of a bike ride or putting on my running shoes or going on a walk before I'm mentally ready. Tell myself if I just go for five minutes and usually five turns into 10, turns into 20 or 30. Before I know it, just the act of starting physically helps my brain to catch up. And once I'm going, I get into it and I'm invested. Momentum can absolutely lead into motivation. So where can you simply start? Sometimes that's really all it takes to boot a lack of motivation.

24:18And as hard as it feels to start, that's often the hardest part and the rest is easier. So I hope that this lit a little fire under you today to take the power of your own motivation back and to allow yourself to create the environment, schedule, the boundaries and relationships that keep you feeling energized and motivated to keep going. If you're sitting here and you're feeling unmotivated today, know that this is normal. This is a part of the process, a part of the journey. You are not broken, but you can start to take actions to invite that momentum and motivation back into your life. It's all a part of the entrepreneurship cycle, as much as we wish it wasn't, but you don't have to stay there.

25:01In fact, you won't stay there. So figure out how you can pursue your curiosities, how you can take action, how you can do research, get inspired, how you can rest and play and have fun doing it again. I think sometimes we get too caught up in all the things we take it too seriously and we forget that this is supposed to be fun too. Thank you so much for listening to another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. As always, until next time, keep on digging your biggest goals. Thanks for pulling up a seat for another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. I hope today's episode filled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into action, and realigned you with your true north in life and business.