Positive reinforcement directly affects our attitude and motivation. It’s said that a person needs to receive six to seven positive statements to simply balance the effect of one negative statement. With a ratio that stacked, the amount of encouragement anyone needs is staggering. To a home business owner it can be critical.

Leave Nothing To Chance

Most companies, especially where sales are concerned, have programs in place to address this issue. They actually take the steps necessary to ensure their employees are pumped up and ready to go. If they take the time to screen potential employees for attitude issues, why wouldn’t they include measures or protection against negativity?

My own network has in place a variety of measures for ensuring ongoing personal development. Among the many training calls there is one specifically designed to encourage people. Curiously it comes early in the day. When we need to be properly motivated, it should happen before our most productive time of day.

What Goes Around…

What I’ve discovered as a home business owner is the reciprocal affect of offering encouragement whenever possible. We know instinctively, that compliments we fish for won’t have the same results, as those that come unsolicited. However, the more we encourage others, the more encouragement we can expect in return.

Simply because I don’t face rush hour traffic, and have the ability to schedule travel around school bus hours, doesn’t mean my day is stress free. Encouragement has a way of lowering our stress, similar to the effects of exercise and fresh air.

We help to make each other healthier and more productive through the loving act of encouragement. We need it for business and we need it for life.