Why Small Biz Owners and Solopreneurs Need to Get Enthusiastic About Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm’s upside for solopreneurs and small business owners

Enthusiasm is tough to fake…that’s what makes it so powerful in business. When you’ve got a real interest in your work and in the people you’re working with, it shows. And that genuine display of excitement for helping clients fulfill a need within their businesses builds goodwill. Your enthusiasm for what you do may not be the primary or deciding factor clients consider before working with you, but it can set you apart from your competition. Think about it; wouldn’t you prefer to work with a services provider who seems genuinely interested in and appreciative of the opportunity to assist you?

Enthusiasm’s downside (Yes, it really does have one!)

Alas, enthusiasm has a negative aspect, too. And ironically, it’s the same quality that makes it a positive; it’s tough to fake. When you’re not feeling enthusiastic toward your clients or your work, it may not be easy to hide your detachment. Lack of enthusiasm may make your clients and prospective clients mistakenly think you don’t care.

Most of us have ebbing and flowing levels of enthusiasm for a multitude of reasons that can change daily depending on what’s happening in our personal and professional lives:

Enthusiasm busters:

• Lack of sleep
• Poor nutrition
• Not enough exercise
• Family troubles
• Client issues
• Projects we’d rather not have taken on
• Too much work, too little time
• Not enough work

 How to coax your enthusiasm out of hiding…

Assuming you still have that underlying passion for your work even when you’re not feeling excited about it, there are ways to dig deep to rekindle and demonstrate enthusiasm.

• If your schedule allows, temporarily sett aside work that’s a downer.
• Focus on a task or project that energizes you.
• Say “no” to projects you don’t have an interest in.
• Avoid negative people as much as possible until you’re feeling better able to brush off their ill will.
• Try to focus on the positive rather than the negative in situations. For example, you might feel pressured by a deadline, but the sooner you finish the work the sooner you’ll have that money in the bank.
• Fake it until you’re feeling it again. Concentrate on making your conversations online, via email, over the phone, and face to face upbeat and friendly. If you purposely act enthusiastic, you must might convince yourself to feel that way for real.

Enthusiasm matters not only when making an impression on clients, but it also serves to motivate us to do more – and do the very best we can – in our businesses. And that comes full circle because being more productive and skilled at what we do will make us feel more enthusiastic more of the time.

By Dawn Mentzer
Another Insatiable Solopreneur™ post