Nine Ways to Raise Your Enthusiasm to Increase Productivity
“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon … must inevitably come to pass!”
Founder of the Success Motivation® Institute,
Success Motivation® International,
and Leadership Management® International
Years ago, my husband, Frank, worked with a guitar player named Sal DiFusco. To this day, Frank consistently says Sal is one of the most enthusiastic people he’s ever known.
Sal radiates enthusiasm and positive energy. He oozes charisma. He always smiles and acknowledges people loudly and in a positive way. Even though my husband hasn’t seen him in 20 years, his enthusiasm still influences how my husband acts, approaches work, and greets people to this day.
You know the type of person I’m talking about, right?
Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Oprah Winfrey … have “something special” (often defined as charisma) that makes people gravitate toward them.
Author, speaker, and businesswoman Mary Marcdante says in her book Living with Enthusiasm that enthusiastic people are “energy-givers” and “help us be our best.”
One of the big side effects of enthusiasm is that it helps you be more productive.
Think about it. When you have a task you dread doing, say, your taxes, doesn’t it take longer than doing something you love?
Or if you have an event you are excited about, it’s much more enjoyable, goes by quicker, and is just better, right?
If you need some help in the enthusiasm department, here are some tips for getting excited about your work so you can get more done in less time.
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Pick a niche you love. Think Julia Child. She was passionate about food and cooking. What do you love? What do you like reading about in your spare time? When you have free time, what do you like to do?
Tie your passions to your freelance work, and you’ll remain enthusiastic. For example, I love self-help and business-building ideas. I’ve always enjoyed learning about them and can never get enough. Even when I’m technically “not working,” I read those types of books, magazines, and articles. This was a natural niche for me and helps me stay excited about my work.
- Explore what interests you. Develop a love for learning. Ask a lot of questions and do plenty of research.
- Find a way to change things. If your current work doesn’t interest you, or if you find yourself dreading work, that’s a sign you need to change. Either look at how you can change your work or remember why you got started in the first place, and change your feelings about your work.
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Write a purpose statement. Zig Ziglar says, “Simply stated, commitment which is fueled by desire helps us stay on track to achieve our goals and ultimately win.”
Serving a greater purpose than yourself, knowing what your purpose is and referring to it often will help you remember why you are doing what you are doing.
For instance, one part of my purpose statement reflects my desire to help entrepreneurs grow their business. Knowing that I’ve helped a client make more money, increased the number of clients they attract, or made a difference in some way helps me stay focused.
- Ask your clients about the results from the campaigns you’ve worked on. If your clients don’t tell you how your writing did, ask. Finding out that your work impacted your client’s business positively can be a great shot in the arm to your enthusiasm for what you are doing.
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Farm out things you don’t need to do yourself. Make note of types of projects you enjoy and don’t enjoy. If you have a passionate interest in your work, you will not only do it well, but you will also enjoy doing it and make great progress. The opposite is true of projects you don’t enjoy.
For example, recently I was bogged down and feeling unproductive. I realized there were some aspects of my writing business I didn’t like, such as bookkeeping and formatting emails to send out for clients. I’ve gotten help in those areas and have someone else do them.
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Say "no" to projects that don’t excite you. I realize that when money is tight or when you are starting out, it’s hard to say no to a project. However, the more you can stay true to the types of clients and projects that excite you, the easier it is to stay enthusiastic and productive.
Case in point, recently I noticed I was putting off work on certain projects I wasn’t excited about, so much so, they became a burden. So I’ve started saying no to projects that don’t excite me. This has increased my productivity to the point that I’ve more than made up for work I turn down with the extra money I earn writing on topics that interest me.
- Focus on the good (even when things are bad). Look for the gifts in difficulties and live your life with gratitude. Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t. If you focus on the negative, it can zap you of your creativity, energy, and productivity.
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Hang around enthusiastic people. Enthusiasm is contagious. The more you can find ways to connect with and develop relationships with enthusiastic people, the more excitement will “rub off” on you, inspiring you to want to do more.
Mary Marcdante says, “Whether they burst with excitement or simmer quietly, when you’re in the presence of enthusiastic people, you feel happier and more excited about your life, perhaps … ”
Boosting your enthusiasm makes it possible for you to be more productive. By fostering your interest in your work and avoiding things which cut into your enthusiasm, you’ll get more done and enjoy your work more in the process, too.
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Great ideas Cindy. I especially like the one that focuses on the good. Very helpful advice.
Guest (carolyn) –
Thank you for your comment Carolyn.
Cindy Cyr –