I am NOT one of those Type A people who needs constant lists and comparisons and competition, in fact–too much keeping score is a surefire way to drive me off a project or out of a certain job. HOWEVER, I have realized as I have gotten older that I do need a little bit of competition, expectation and comparison in order to keep me motivated. These can be hard to come by when one is working alone in a home-based business…
Even though I know other people who are operating small and/or home businesses, I don’t really know anyone in my every day life who is doing the same thing that I am. So, there is no one to make comparisons with there. Instead, I have found that I need to set my own standards and goals and create little mini-competitions. It might sound a bit dorky, but if I set a goal for myself–say, for the week, that is a bit of a challenge, and then I offer myself a reward if I succeed at my goal, I do a better job of staying on track.
This is not always enough, but since I am not terribly maniacally driven, it doesn’t really bother me if I miss a target or have to roll over a goal to the next week or month. Everything in moderation, I say, so if life interrupts my goals and plans for my home business, I can adjust quite easily. I do miss that occasional sense of “competition” that I had in my previous line of work. As a fundraising and marketing professional in the nonprofit sector–it was all about numbers, goals and competition. Maybe not quite as high stress as in the corporate field, but I was definitely evaluated based on specific tasks and goals.
I have had to learn how to find some balance and honor my need for a LITTLE competition in my home business, and still deal with the reality of being on my own without anyone really to compete with.
Also: Healthy Competition
Why You Should Not Trash Your Competition
Can You Cope with Competition?