How to keep your MOJO working!

In recent weeks I’ve given several presentations on what could best be referred to as, “how to keep your mojo working”. It’s a great topic because the stress and pressure of running a business in these tough times has definitely been taking its toll on many franchisees and franchisor executives.

Mojo. We heard about it in the Austin Powers movies, but to understand the true meaning of the word I consulted my in-house literature consultant (aka wife) who informed me it’s simply an abbreviation for motivation and joy. These are possibly two of the most beautiful words in the English language because they hold the secret to what we all seek - a successful and happy life.

Three techniques that promote mojo

So how can we keep our motivation and joy alive? Here are three simple techniques.

1.Practice the attitude of gratitude. Parents regularly remind their kids to say thank you, and so they should, because this is encouraging an attitude of gratitude. Appreciating what we have puts the mind in a positive state and helps us to feel good about ourselves and the world. It also boosts our immune system, stimulates energy and promotes constructive relationships. By showing gratitude, such as thanking a colleague, sending a kind note to a friend or paying a genuine compliment to a staff member, you are not only helping to make their day, you will also be doing yourself a favour.

2. Talk to someone who cares. This Thursday it’s R U OK? Day, an Australian mental health initiative that encourages people to connect with someone they care about and help stop little problems turning into big ones. It’s true, a problem shared is a problem halved. Talking about our concerns helps us to think issues through and can give us the courage to take action when we need to. For instance, our research into high performance franchisees consistently shows that those with strong family and social support outperform their peers hands down. When we ask franchisees who they find it helpful to talk to, they mention a range of people - parents, siblings, friends, grandparents, neighbours, fellow franchisees, accountants, field consultants, staff and, of course, partners. So who do you talk to?

3. Set yourself BEST goals. In 1966 John F Kennedy inspired the Western world by stating, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth”. The now famous moon landing occurred ahead of schedule on 20th July 1969. It is often used as an example of a BEST goal because it was Believable, Exciting, Specific and Time-bound. People thrive when they set BEST goals because the mind functions best when it has something meaningful to work toward. Not sure where to start? Ask yourself this question. “If everything fell into place and was going as well as it reasonably could, what would be happening?” This should help you to start setting some of your BEST goals!

In this tip I’ve shared three techniques you can use to keep your mojo working. What makes them so attractive is they are based on good psychological research and they are free. So if you find yourself feeling a bit jaded, tired or miserable, (and who doesn’t from time to time), give them a go. They really do work. I particularly like the attitude of gratitude.

Until next time,

Greg Nathan