Happy Monday, EDP fam! Recently Andy asked me "what motivates you? why are you always so interested in trying new things when it comes to EDP, pushing yourself, etc.?" which I thought was a very interesting question. It's just me... that's how I've always been. Andy wasn't very happy with that answer haha. BUT WHY? WHAT IS THE REASON? WHAT DRIVES YOU? 

So I started to think truly about what motivates me and ways that I stay motivated which led me to ask some of my fellow boss babes how they stay motivated. So here it goes:

Ashley Torres (me!) 

Entrepreneur, Small Business Owner, and Marketing Consultant at Everyday Pursuits + Pursuit Digital

After a deep dive into my past I realized that my drive really stems from childhood and my parents.  I'm the oldest sibling, the first grandchild on both sides, the one that everyone looked at as the next generation. To be honest, I always just wanted to be the best to make my family proud. My parents believed in me so much and always instilled in me that I could do whatever I wanted to do as long as I dedicated time and effort to make it happen. When I did that and saw the fruits of my labor/ what I accomplished it was like a drug. The high of setting a goal for yourself and achieving it is like no other. Am I right? Especially when you have a crowd cheering for you in the background! Granted, goals of making cheer captain and going to USC are far from loftier grown-ups goals  but they are little wins that built my confidence over the years. 

I'm also extremely competitive, less so as I've gotten older but when I was younger I ALWAYS wanted to win/ be right. Probably a by product of all the sports I played in my youth. I still have a competitive fire but I've learned that some battles aren't worth winning, especially when it means going against your morals or heart. 

So what keeps me motivated aside from what's been ingrained in me since childhood?

• Being surrounded by motivated and goal oriented friends. ie: my goal group | You've heard the phrase "you're the average of the 5 people with whom you surround yourself" and I 100% believe in that. Through this I've learned to set goals and stick with them! 
• My new family. For me, motivating factors change at different phases of my life. Right now I'm about to get married and Andy and I are having conversations about kids, houses, and all that jazz. I want to be the best Ashley for him and push myself so that we are prepared mentally, spiritually, financially, and physically for this next phase of our lives. 
• Time, or lack thereof. Time flies and as I see generations come into the world, die, get sick, and everything in between I am constantly reminded that the time is NOW. Why wait to live your best life? I use "time" to drive my goal setting and evaluation.

ALAINA ZEBLEY

Self-employed Entrepreneur and contributing writer for Everyday Pursuits

• Making Measurable Goals. Setting reachable goals throughout the days/weeks/months and checking things off the list help me stay focused and motivated. When you feel productive and successful you continue to strive for more and can increase the reach of things to achieve. 
• Instagram. This sounds odd as most people try to spend less time on their phone, or don't want to compare themselves to others but, I actually strive for more when I'm seeing other people do great things and have great success. I love the ideas and different ways of life everyone has that it's inspiring and makes you think a little differently. I find myself having more dreams and setting higher goals for myself, taking risks that I may not have before. Instagram is full of entrepreneurs and girlbosses - we inspire each other and stick together! 
• Giving Myself Cheat Days. Whether its with eating healthy or working out or not checking off everything on my to do list, having a "cheat day" keeps me interested and excited about what I'm doing. It's about having fun with each activity or challenge you're a part of, once it stops being fun, the motivation stops. Relieving some pressure is so important. Enjoy that slice of pizza! 

Emily McDonald

Founder of The Stylist LA

• Surround yourself with an amazing crew.  I have a group of boss babes that I immediately text when I need a little pick me up.  Whether they are sending words of wisdom, funny memes or just telling me I've got this, it is super helpful.
• Break a sweat.  Nothing helps me out of a funk better than a really good soul cycle class.  A tough workout always puts me in a better mood and helps me feel like I can take over the world.
• Read.  I love to read inspirational books before I go to sleep at night.  Some faves are; You're a badass (I revisit this one ALL the time when I need a pick me up) Million Dollar Women, or anything by Gabby Bernstein.  When all else fails I literally search "entrepreneur success stories" or "girlboss quotes" on google.  Not kidding!

BAILY HANCOCK

Collaborator & Career Happiness Strategist

• I have a clipboard hanging in front of my desk that has my annual big goals written in big, bold marker so that when I'm lacking motivation I can look over and be reminded of what I set out to accomplish. I also have a notecard pinned to my bulletin board that has words that describe how I want to feel in my life overall so that when I lose focus and get down about what I'm doing I can look up and be reminded about why I'm doing all of it in the first place.
• I also use the app TimeHop to reflect on where my life was on this day for the last 14+ years (old Facebook status updates are a blessing and a curse!) That helps me remember that it wasn't very long ago that what I'm doing today was past me's goals. 
• Overall, what motivates me in life is knowing that when I die, I want to feel like I went back to the "life buffet" for thirds, forths, fifths, etc. and tried every damn item on the menu. I want to be that person who gets kicked out of the buffet for eating too damn much and has her face put on a "do not serve" sign hanging up in the restaurant! That won't happen if I only go up for one round of food, aka being content with my career/relationships/life based on what I chose in my twenties. 

Suzie Moldavon

Founder of FlyBrow and Professional Makeup Artist

• I pick a word mantra at the beginning of every year.  Not a resolution or something that can fall by the wayside or fail, but rather a mantra.  Change, Patience, Let it go, Serendipity are a few...  This year mine is - Step In...  to your power.  Your fear.  Your full potential.  Step in.  Hopefully I will approach decisions and the overall feeling of this year with this mantra.
• Set small weekly goals in addition to the big lofty goals we set on January first.  Sometimes looking at things in small bites makes them easier to accomplish and get closer to those big ones.  First break things down into quarters, and do 30/60/90 day goals for the 3 months you are in.  Then, week by week.  One way I do this is weekly check ins with my bossbabes goal group.  We start with a recap of wins and losses form the week before and then build on that for the week to come.  It really helps to draw a roadmap of where you've been and where you're headed and to see what your peers are working on.  And to have a cheering section when you have a win or a sounding board when you're not quite sure about something.  
• Schedule in the workouts and the 'office hours' like they were important meetings and clients.  I find that when I'm busy I compromise my self care to squeeze in another client or meeting and then I end up feeling like I'm not taking care of myself.  The only way to feel like you have some semblance of balance in life is to make sure you are also taking care of yourself because nobody else will if you don't!

Jen Robin

Founder of Life in Jeneral

• Revisiting my goals personally and professionally. I have written down goals throughout my apartment on white boards, journals, notes on my phone-- that are great reminders to keep me on the right path and that I am exactly where I need to be.  
• Self-awareness. Over the years I have really focused on what makes me feel good and what doesn't. Living a healthy lifestyle (working out, eating right, positive thoughts, pedicure, spending time with friends & family) keeps me feeling my best and accomplishing more.
• Books on tape & Podcasts. Instead of listening to music when I am in the car, I listen to podcasts and books on tape. I always learn something new and it feels much more productive during long drives. 
• My faith. I look forward to church and continuing to strengthen my faith and beliefs. It is beyond me and keeps me motivated to do more and that life is bigger than myself. 

Marissa Volp

Digital Marketer and my right hand gal for Pursuit Digital

• Incentives. I’ll give myself an incentive to get something done. I tend to focus on the penalties when it comes to small tasks and only give myself rewards for big things, otherwise I’d be having tacos for dinner every night. Instead, if I don’t get something done when I say I’m going to, I’ll force myself to do something I don’t want to do. Normally, I set a certain amount of money that I’ll be forced to give away if said task doesn’t get done. Then you really pay for it.
• The feeling of accomplishment. Thinking about the outcome and the way it feels to be finished with something you started can be all the more powerful when you’re in the thick of it. Whether it’s getting done with a project or a workout, it always feels better at the end when you know you did your best. Setting intentions on how you want a process to go and how it ends is an effective way to keep yourself motivated to get to that feeling.
• Accountability. My biggest motivation is staying sharp for the people around me. I have an idea of how I want to live my life; eat healthy, work out, work hard, love hard. Sometimes life gets in the way, and it’s in the times where motivation is hard to be found that I think about my family, my friends and my boss. The people around me work their butts off, and I want to be right there alongside them doing the same in my own life. I want to be someone who can be counted on and deliver each and every time.

Everyone has their own ways to stay motivated but it seems like there's a common denominator here with accountability/ surrounding yourself with people who push you to be your best as well as setting goals and reflecting/time. If you're loving this conversation, I definitely suggest joining our Everyday Babes Group on Facebook  - it's a place where us entrepreneurs and boss babes can talk about the daily grind, women and the workplace, motivation and so much more. xo - Ash