“Motivation follows action, motivation follows action, motivation follows action…”

I repeat to myself when it’s 5 a.m. If I don’t get up and start writing – I will have missed my “golden hour.” The time of day when I am at my writing best (surprisingly enough). My family hasn’t woken up yet and my coffee pot is set to start brewing at 4:55 a.m. All I have to do is get up.

Working for myself is definitely a dream come true – but like anything else, there are times when motivation goes out the window. When I’d rather shut the shades, take the kids to Grandma and watch Fixer Upper all day while eating a tub of frosting. And definitely at 5 a.m., when my toddler has been kicking me in the back all night, it’s tough to get up and get going.

So I repeat my mantra. “Motivation follows action, motivation follows action, motivation follows action.”

I reached out to some other super savvy, smart entrepreneurs to tell me their mantras. The ones that keep them going when they are burnt out to a toasty crisp.

Here’s what they use to keep going.

“My personal mantra that I adopted after leaving a stress filled corporate environment… ‘we’re not creating oxygen.’” – Adrienne Dorison, founder of Run Like Clockwork

“I always come back to some variation of ‘I am freaking Superwoman. Look at all this I am handling. No one can do this like I can.’ Even if everything feels tremendously hard and I feel like I am at my breaking point, the truth is I AM handling it, and I AM strong enough to get to the other side. The more I affirm that in myself, the more I feel it and draw strength. Angela Greaser, co-founder of All The Ops

“I always remind myself ‘You set the rules. You know what’s best for you, your family & your business. Keep going.’” – Katie Lawler Hunt, founder of Proof To Product

“’A bad day is a choice.’ My Grandma Broad always used to say to me, after I’d say ‘Have a great day, Grandma’, “Well dear, it’s my own fault if I don’t.” – Julie Broad, founder of Book Launchers

“You are right on time.” – Amber McCue, founder AmberMcCue.com

I tell myself, “This is happening, no matter what.” – Kelly Diels, Writer & Feminist Marketing Consulant

“You don’t have to know all the answers in advance.” – Sarah Kathleen Peck, founder of Startup Pregnant

“No matter what is happening or has happened, it means nothing about YOU. Your worth and value as a human is untouchable.” – Allie Horner, founder of Adventure Knocks    

“If the dream is in you, it’s for you.” I always bring myself back here. – Amber Lilyestrom, founder Amberlilyestrom.com

Mine is the quote from A League of Their Own: “If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” – Erika Tebbens, Strategist & Speaker

Bonus Quote: “My favourite quote is from Helen Keller. It’s a bit long, so I often just think of the first line: ‘Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.’

I take that to mean, ‘stop beating yourself up for making choices that lead to things being hard. If you’d taken the easy road, you STILL would have had hard things to deal with, so at least this way you’re better equipped.’ – Marsha Shandur, founder of Yes Yes Marsha

I love these quotes and mantras, especially knowing that no matter what, hard things are going happen. 

Hard is what makes it great.  It won’t be hard forever. 

Right on, ladies.