Business ownership is as exciting as it is exhausting. You may ask, “Exactly why did I do this to myself?" I started two separate ventures in the last seven years, so I know that, like me, you may often lie awake at night because your burden as an entrepreneur is one most people don't understand.

Staying motivated while balancing the demands of entrepreneurship, a corporate career and life can be challenging. But I've found that a few simple motivational techniques help keep me grounded and productive.

Remember your purpose

Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” The entrepreneurial journey can be long and difficult, but remembering why you went into business in the first place can make day-to-day tribulations easier to manage and give you the strength to face your challenges. You can only pay one bill at a time, solve one problem at a time and address one issue at time. Reminding yourself of these things can stop you from feeling so powerless when “going through hell” gets way too hot.

Get out of the way, and get away

Entrepreneurs are doers. We can wear ourselves down without even realizing it. When you’re down, it can be hard to get back up. It’s healthy to back off occasionally and let the business “breathe” on its own. Give yourself a break and allow your staff to demonstrate that they can perform to your expectations.

Not only do I advocate getting out of your own way, but I also recommend literally getting away. I take regular trips out of town to escape so I can recharge and think about the big picture. Some of my best ideas come to me when I’m on one of these trips because I don’t have the constraints and demands of my real life.

Think back on lessons you've learned

Upon describing his creative process, Russian composer Igor Stravinsky said, “I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge.” In short, we stand to learn the most when we’ve screwed up.

Every entrepreneur has pursued a path that didn’t go exactly as planned. For nearly five years, I ran an award-winning restaurant. During the last recession, I made the difficult, painful choice to close the business. However, I recognized that I was a pioneer in my local community with this upscale, suburban dessert-focused concept. While my restaurant didn’t survive, others followed and built on my foundation. Also, I’ve parlayed that experience into my next venture, approaching that opportunity in a much smarter and wiser way.

A failure in your business does not equal failure as an individual. Even if you fall flat on your face, that’s forward motion. Accept the gift of a hard lesson with humility. Appreciate and celebrate your new insights, apply what you’ve learned and move on to the next challenge.

Remember who's in your corner

A few years ago, T-Mobile ran a series of TV commercials asking, “Who’s in Your Five?” referring to the top people on your call list. Your “Five” are the people who advise and comfort you when you need motivation to keep going. I have a diverse set of mentors and confidants ranging from CEOs and experienced business strategists to friends and family who are “cheerleaders.” Oprah Winfrey said, “Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us.” Find people who support you in your endeavors and want to see you make your dreams come true.

Every day your business is open is a day you defy the odds. Through the good times and bad, finding motivation to keep going will ensure that you wake up every day having beat them.

OPEN Cardmember Monique Hayward is President & CEO of Nouveau Connoisseurs Corporation, a business services company, and author of Divas Doing Business: What the Guidebooks Don’t Tell You About Being a Woman Entrepreneur.

Image: Irene Smalls, Irene Smalls & Associates