After sharing his own funk experience in Episode 041, Mark received a flood of responses from listeners dealing with the same problem. In this follow-up episode, he delivers an actionable list of 11 strategies for beating a business funk, plus answers a listener question about blogging in English as a non-native speaker.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- 11 practical strategies for breaking out of a business funk
- Why naming your funk is the essential first step to recovery
- How physical movement creates emotional momentum
- Advice for non-native English speakers who want to blog
Episode Summary
Mark opens with a shout-out to Cliff Ravenscraft for creating the show bumper and thanks listeners for their feedback on the funk episode. He notes the rebrand from MasonWorld to Late Night Internet Marketing is in progress.
11 Ways to Beat a Business Funk
1. Name it. You cannot fix a problem you do not recognize. This is why goals, benchmarks, and scorecards matter. They serve as early detection systems for when you are drifting off course.
2. Own it. Do not make excuses. As Emerson said, nothing can bring you happiness but yourself. Choose to be happy, choose to win, choose to beat the funk. Your funk is your responsibility.
3. Reconnect with your vision. Why are you doing what you are trying to do? What does success look like? Take time to imagine the outcome you are working toward.
4. Stop bad habits. Eating poorly, not sleeping enough, watching too much television, and failing to keep commitments all feed the funk. Television in particular steals time and blocks creativity.
5. Start good behaviors. Exercise is the single most powerful funk-buster. Michael Hyatt describes a time when his wife told him to go run during a funk. An hour later, everything had changed. As Tony Robbins teaches: emotion is created by motion. Bonus behavior: declutter your workspace.
6. Celebrate your successes. Write down three things you are thankful for or have accomplished. Do it quickly, with the first things that come to mind. Put the list somewhere visible for the rest of the day.
7. Review success stories and case studies. Reading about others who have built successful online businesses can reignite your motivation.
8. Connect with your support network. Reach out to someone who always cheers you up. Your spouse, friends, or fellow entrepreneurs can provide the perspective you need.
9. Manage stress. Chronic stress produces high cortisol levels that erode your health physically and emotionally. The antidote is balance. Look at negative emotions, sleep quality, diet, workload, and inflammation individually and find small ways to reduce excesses in each area.
10. Help others. Stop making everything about yourself. Think about Zig Ziglar's principle: you can get everything in life that you want by helping other people get what they want. Helping someone else work through their funk can pull you out of your own.
11. Get a mastermind group. Having a group of peers you can lean on for accountability and support makes a significant difference when motivation wavers.
Blogging as a Non-Native English Speaker
Mark addresses a question from listener Shadi about blogging in English when it is not your first language. He references a ProBlogger article with seven practical guidelines for non-native English bloggers. The core advice: your unique perspective and expertise matter more than perfect grammar, and there are tools and editors available to help polish your writing.
Key Takeaways
- Name your funk, own it, and reconnect with why you started
- Physical exercise is the fastest way to shift your emotional state
- Celebrating small wins counteracts the negativity spiral
- Helping others is both selfless and strategically effective for your own recovery
- A mastermind group provides accountability that solo entrepreneurs lack
What's Changed Since This Episode
Mark recorded this in January 2013. The strategies for overcoming motivational slumps remain practical and relevant.
The concept of mastermind groups has exploded. In 2026, paid and free masterminds are available across every niche. Platforms like Circle, Skool, and Discord host thousands of accountability communities. The principle Mark advocates, surrounding yourself with supportive peers, is now an established best practice for solo entrepreneurs.
AI writing tools have transformed the landscape for non-native English speakers. The barrier Shadi faced in 2013 is dramatically lower today. Tools like Grammarly, DeepL, and AI assistants help non-native speakers produce polished English content, making the advice to “just start” even more actionable.
Resources Mentioned
- Michael Hyatt — Productivity and leadership author
- Zig Ziglar — Motivational speaker and author
- Cliff Ravenscraft — Podcast Answer Man
- LNIM Podcast
Related Episodes
If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.
Thanks a lot Mr. Mark, I really need to stop some bad habits and start some good ones, and by reading more and taking IM more serious, by time I’ll achieve a success.
Thanks a lot for your support!
You are quite welcome Shadi. Glad the episode was helpful to you.
Regards,
Mark
I’ve found that having Home Depot or Lowes deliver a couple tons of building materials to your house is a good way to jump start things. You can’t avoid 3 pallets of stuff sitting in your house. And once you get in a rhythm, but can’t hold the screw gun any more, you work on your other items while the Aleve kicks in. I’ve dropped a few pounds, made a dent in my todo list, and my basement ceiling is almost finished.
LOL — especially if you are married. My wife is very helpful when it comes to that sort of motivation.
Mark