Motivation can be a tricky thing when you are your own boss. Those who work for someone else are usually presented with incentives to keep them motivated and working hard. But when you have no boss, it's up to you to find ways to motivate yourself.

Taking the road less traveled can be difficult at times. You put your success in your own hands by choosing to be your own boss. It can be much harder in many ways than working at an hourly job but it is also much more rewarding. There will be times when any business owner feels like throwing in the towel.

It is completely normal to feel like giving up at times. It is important to keep on keeping on when that happen.

Here are six tips that can help you do that.

1. Make A List

Make a list of the reasons you decided to do what you're doing. Just getting started in business takes a tremendous amount of motivation, so going back to that time can help us get back into a similar frame of mind. Once your list is finished, keep it in a safe place for future reference.

2. Goals

Set goals and reward yourself for achieving them. Setting goals for our businesses helps us stay on track, and rewarding ourselves with something meaningful gives us the extra incentive we need to attain them.

3. Network

Network with fellow business owners. It can be reassuring to know that others have been where you are and come out on top. They may also have helpful advice to share about any specific problems you are having.

4. Motivation

Consider investing in some motivational videos, CDs, books, or seminars. The people who make these have a knack for getting people on their feet and helping them succeed. There are lots of choices when it comes to these items, so if you don't know which speaker or author to choose, ask a fellow businessperson for a recommendation.

5. Take A Break

Get away from it all. One of the biggest motivation killers is burnout. Consider taking a long weekend and going on a mini-vacation if you've been working long hours and not seeing the rewards you think you deserve. Have someone else attend to calls and emails if possible. When you get back, you can get back to work with a clear head.

6. Outsource

You might consider hiring someone else to take care of an aspect of your business that you aren't crazy about. This will free you up to work on the things that you are passionate about.

Staying motivated is essential to success. Our work suffers and we lose ground when we lose our motivation, . By reminding ourselves what we want to accomplish and taking steps to reenergize ourselves, we can regain the momentum we need to get through the tough times.