Energy Assassins: How to Stay Motivated and Eliminate the Killers of Your Business Success
Do you ever feel like, no matter how hard you work, you just can’t get ahead? You’re putting in the hours, but something is draining your energy and slowing down your progress. Could it be that your time isn’t the only resource being hijacked? What about your energy? And more importantly, knowing how to stay motivated when it feels like everything is pulling you down?
This is a challenge many business owners face, and we’re going to break it down for you. We have the insights to help you understand not only what’s draining your energy but also how to take action to restore it for greater success in your business. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to stay motivated by eliminating what I call Energy Assassins. I’m going to share (with permission of course) the story of one of my clients as well.
Brian was the definition of a solopreneur, wearing every hat in his business. As the CEO, “Chief Everything Officer,” he handled everything from sales and marketing to customer service and operations. His business was his passion. He owns a digital marketing agency. He loves what he does, but it was also draining him physically and mentally. There were endless to-do lists and zero boundaries between work and personal life. Brian wasn’t taking care of himself. Late nights turned into early mornings, meals were skipped, and sleep was an afterthought. He had no idea how to stay motivated and his ship started to sink and along with it his business, his relationship, and his dreams.
The impact on his mindset was even worse. Exhaustion led to negative self-talk. “I’ll never catch up.” “I’m not cut out for this.” His energy was depleted, and so was his motivation. As a result, sales started to slip, and his marketing efforts lacked the creativity and consistency they once had. He was under attack by the time and energy assassins.
What Are Time Assassins?
Before diving into “Energy Assassins,” let’s start with a quick nod to Dan Martell’s “Time Assassins”, a brilliant concept that identifies the silent killers of productivity. In his book, Buy Back Your Time, Dan Martell describes these time-sucking habits or distractions that steal precious moments from our day, making us less efficient. Martell’s list includes things like unnecessary meetings, constant notifications, and lack of boundaries. If you haven’t read his work yet, I highly recommend it.
Now, while time is one of our most spendable resources, energy may be even more crucial. This is where my concept of Energy Assassins comes into play to help you learn how to stay motivated. And yes, I borrowed the word assassins after reading his book. Full credit to Dan.
What Are Energy Assassins?
As a Certified Energy Leadership Coach, I’ve developed the term Energy Assassins to describe the hidden forces that drain your energy, leaving you exhausted, unproductive, and unfocused. According to the Energy Leadership framework by Bruce D. Schneider, energy is more than physical, it’s mental, emotional, and even spiritual. Understanding the difference between catabolic (draining, destructive) and anabolic (restorative, constructive) energy is essential to identifying what’s helping or harming your ability to stay motivated and succeed in business.
Catabolic energy depletes your motivation and keeps you stuck in frustration, anger, or guilt. Anabolic energy, on the other hand, lifts you up, helping you feel energized, productive, and creative. The secret to thriving in your business is minimizing the impact of catabolic energy and maximizing anabolic energy.
But what are the most common Energy Assassins that business owners face, and how do you deal with them? Let’s explore the six most common ones and their impact on how to stay motivated.
6 Common Energy Assassins for Business Owners
- Spiritual Energy Assassin – Lack of Purpose
When you lack a clear sense of purpose or alignment with your business goals, it’s hard to stay motivated. A disconnect from your “why” can lead to burnout. Spiritual Energy Assassins attack when you’re not in tune with what drives you—whether that’s your company’s mission or your personal reason for building the business in the first place. Reconnecting with your purpose is key to learning how to stay motivated. - Mental Energy Assassin – Overwhelm and Lack of Focus
Mental fatigue occurs when you’re constantly juggling tasks without a clear strategy. Ever find yourself working all day but feeling like you’ve accomplished nothing? Mental Energy Assassins show up when your mind is overloaded with too many decisions or distractions, leading to decreased focus and lower productivity. Streamlining your mental load will help you understand how to stay motivated. - Emotional Energy Assassin – Unresolved Stress or Conflict
Emotional energy is drained when you carry unresolved stress, anxiety, or conflict. Whether it’s a difficult client relationship or internal team struggles, emotional Energy Assassins rob you of your ability to lead effectively. Without managing your emotional health, it’s easy to spiral into a state of depletion. Learning to manage emotions is essential for figuring out how to stay motivated. - Physical Energy Assassin – Health Neglect or Burnout
It’s hard to run a successful business when your body is constantly running on empty. Physical Energy Assassins manifest through lack of sleep, poor diet, or ignoring exercise. If you don’t invest in your physical well-being, you’ll feel sluggish and fatigued, making it harder to stay energized during the workday. Taking care of your physical health will directly impact your ability to stay motivated. - Social Energy Assassin – Lack of Support or Toxic Relationships
Running a business can feel lonely, especially if you don’t have a support network or find yourself surrounded by negative people. Social Energy Assassins thrive when you lack strong, uplifting relationships, either professionally or personally. The wrong company can pull you down, while the right people can propel you forward. Building a strong support network is a key factor in how to stay motivated. - Environmental Energy Assassin – Inefficient Systems or Clutter
Your work environment—whether it’s your physical office or your systems and processes—affects your energy levels. Environmental Energy Assassins come in the form of disorganized spaces, outdated tools, or inefficient workflows. It can also be more than that. I can also be financial. Money is a tool, after all. When your environment is cluttered or your resources limited, it’s harder to feel clear and productive. Optimizing your environment will make it easier to stay motivated.
Why Do These Energy Assassins Happen?
Energy Assassins don’t appear overnight. They’re the result of gradual neglect or unawareness. Business owners often find themselves so caught up in the daily grind that they forget to check in on how they’re doing. Let’s face it. As business owners, we like to run hard. Here you are trying to grow your business, and you don’t realize that these subtle drains are limiting your growth. Ultimately, these energy assassins are limiting your ability to figure out how to stay motivated too.
For example:
- When you don’t have a clear purpose, it’s easy to lose motivation and feel like you’re spinning your wheels.
- A cluttered workspace or inefficient systems eat up your time, making you work harder, not smarter.
- The wrong people in your social circle can drag you down emotionally, leaving you drained.
If you’re constantly feeling tired, frustrated, or stuck, chances are you’ve got more than one Energy Assassin at play. If this is you, how do you think this affects your marketing, sales, operations, management, and ultimately your bottom line?
Back to Brian
This was Brian. He was at a breaking point when he heard me speak at an event. He wasn’t just struggling with how to stay motivated, he was actually on the verge of burnout. Something spoke to him about the energy assassins and he came up to me after the talk and introduced himself. We met for coffee and decided to work together.
We began by focusing on his energy assassins. We identified his physical energy drains like poor sleep habits, his mental clutter from trying to do it all, and his emotional exhaustion from the constant pressure. Then, we worked on strategies to combat these, creating a sustainable routine for self-care, sleep, and work-life balance.
Once Brian’s energy was restored, we shifted focus to the business. Using proven profit acceleration strategies, we optimized his marketing efforts, revamped his sales approach, and introduced systems to streamline his workload.
The results? Brian not only felt more energized he also learned how to stay motivated and his business began to thrive. With clarity and focus, he was no longer working in the business every minute of the day, now he was working on it. Sales surged, and profits followed.
Brian shifted from surviving to thriving both personally and professionally. Here’s how we did it.
How to Combat Energy Assassins and Stay Motivated
The good news is you can regain control over your energy. At McKinney Business Solutions, we use over 40 proven strategies to help business owners identify and those energy assassins, optimize their businesses, and keep winning so they can work at peak performance. Here are six ways you can start:
- Reconnect with Your Purpose
Take time to align your business goals with your personal values. Why did you start your business? What’s the bigger picture? Getting clear on your “why” provides the motivation to push through challenges and helps you stay motivated. - Streamline Your Mental Load
Implement systems and routines that free up mental energy. Prioritize tasks, delegate when possible, and create boundaries to protect your focus. Reducing overwhelm is key in staying motivated. - Manage Your Emotions
Check in with yourself regularly. Are there unresolved conflicts or stressors that need addressing? Don’t be afraid to seek support, whether that’s from a mentor, coach, or therapist. Understanding your emotions will help you learn how to stay motivated. - Prioritize Physical Health
Your business can’t thrive if you’re constantly exhausted. Invest time in sleep, nutrition, and exercise. These foundational elements will boost your energy levels and help you stay sharp throughout the day, making it easier to stay motivated. - Build a Supportive Network
Surround yourself with people who lift you up. Whether it’s a business mastermind group, a trusted friend, or a mentor, having the right people in your corner makes a world of difference for your energy levels and motivation. - Optimize Your Environment
Create a workspace that fuels productivity. Clear out clutter, upgrade your tools, and ensure your systems are running smoothly so you can focus on what matters. A well-organized environment helps you stay motivated.
Discover Your Energy Assassins
Now that you’ve learned about the top Energy Assassins, it’s time to take action. Start by making a list of your own energy killers. Here are some questions to help you identify where your energy is being drained and how to stay motivated. Take out a pen right now and write down your answers. These questions will get you started:
- What tasks leave you feeling drained rather than energized?
- How aligned is your business with your personal values and purpose?
- What relationships feel like they’re lifting you up or pulling you down?
- Is your physical environment cluttered or inefficient?
- How are your current systems helping or hindering your productivity?
- Are you investing in your physical, mental, and emotional health?
By recognizing and eliminating these Energy Assassins, you can lead with clarity, make better decisions, and grow your business without feeling constantly drained. If you would like to learn more, there’s a complimentary electronic excerpt of my book, Connecting the Dots – Your Clear Path To Profit at my website. Download it. Read it. And feel free to reach out to me with any questions. You can do that here by visiting McKinney Business Solutions. Here’s to learning more about how to stay motivated, boost your energy, and unlock you and your business’s full potential.