How to maintain enthusiasm in business: 21 years of Glued.

Running a business is exciting, yet often challenging: we’ve certainly had some ups and downs over the last 21 years of running Glued. Maintaining enthusiasm and motivation over the years can be tough, especially during times when things don’t go as planned. In this article, I’ll share how we’ve managed to keep our energy and passion alive, despite the ups and downs, and offer some insights that may help you.

Understanding that enthusiasm wanes

Let’s face it—enthusiasm is not something that stays at its peak constantly. There are times when it will naturally wane due to various circumstances, and that’s okay. The first step in managing this is accepting that it’s perfectly normal not to be at your A-game all the time. We can’t always be 100% motivated, and expecting that from ourselves can lead to frustration.

One of the key strategies we use is taking our own advice. As we often tell our clients, it’s important to revisit our mission—our “why”—and remember the reason we started in the first place. We’ve since developed a process that helps us reconnect with this purpose and keep pushing forward, even when motivation dips.

Embracing the power of consistency

In business, you won’t always get the results you want right away. Sometimes, you’ll face a series of setbacks or hear “no” more often than you’d like. When that happens, the key is to stick to a process. We’ve built a system around doing essential activities—whether it’s making calls, networking, writing blogs, or other tasks—on a regular basis. We know that if we stay consistent with these efforts, the work will eventually come in.

What keeps me going is the knowledge that our process works. It’s basic marketing: if you stop marketing, eventually people will stop contacting you. That’s a simple truth, but one that’s easy to forget during hard times. When things are tough, I remind myself to just keep doing the work, even if it feels like progress is slow. The results will come if we stay the course.

Staying grateful and grounded

On a day-to-day level, I’ve found that journaling helps when my energy is flagging. I take time to reflect on things I’m grateful for from the previous day, and this can extend beyond business to include my personal life as well. Recognising the good things happening in my life, whether they’re big or small, helps me stay motivated and grounded. It’s an effective way to shift my focus to the positive, especially when business challenges feel overwhelming.

Strategically, it’s about staying aligned with our mission, vision, and values—our deeper purpose. But tactically, simple habits like journaling and regular communication play an equally important role. We work from different locations, David and I make it a point to catch up regularly, whether it’s a daily check-in or weekly. These conversations help us stay on track, share our progress, and most importantly, keep things light. It’s crucial to acknowledge that while times may feel heavy, we don’t need to carry that weight all the time.

Navigating peaks and troughs

Like any business, Glued has its natural cycles—peaks and troughs. It’s vital to recognise that if you’re in a tough period, a better one is likely just around the corner. Likewise, when work is flowing easily, it’s important to appreciate that moment, because it won’t last forever. The ebb and flow are inevitable, and the sooner you accept that, the easier it becomes to navigate. With a small business like Glued those peaks and troughs can be hard to recognise.

The Importance of acceptance and resilience

In the end, maintaining enthusiasm in business isn’t about avoiding the tough times; it’s about accepting them. Recognising the natural cycles, staying connected to your purpose, and having a consistent process in place are all key to staying motivated. And of course, a little bit of gratitude goes a long way. Beyond that, it sometimes feels like a miracle that we’re still here, thriving and moving forward. The Glued of 21 years ago is markedly different to the one of 2024!