The nature of being an SBO invites burnout. That’s because, if we’re doing it right, we come home every night on empty – bedraggled, worn out, totally spent. That can take its toll over time.

I know I’m approaching burnout when I begin having weird fantasies. In addition to the one about two showgirls and Las Vegas, the more telling one is to dream about working behind the counter at a Quick Trip, putting in my time, punching out and going home. Ahhhh! When I hit that point, I know it’s time to find some way to re-ignite the fire ... usually with a new fire.

Example: I am launching a new business this year. The Family Finances Conference Center provides Financial Wellness programs to help businesses reduce the sting of lo-raise/no-raise annual reviews and to help charities and religious congregations “find” donation dollars. It started with a book and workbook I simply had to write — The Back to Basics Book of Money! A Couple’s Guide to Financial Peace.

But here’s why I’m doing it. I will be 60 years old in 14 short months. So, I sat down a while back and decided that I do not want to “be” 60. I want to CELEBRATE 60. I set a series of personal goals (be in the best physical shape ever, etc.) and business goals (sale of 100,000 sets of my new book, etc.) by Nov. 13, 2010, and to celebrate by taking my joint venture partner, his wife and my family on a cruise to celebrate my birthday. I even know what songs I want to request in the ballroom of the ship that evening.

Fired up? You bet. Giving it all I got! Sometimes I strain an emotional arm swinging at fastballs that lead to strike outs, but I’m also hitting a few home runs out of the park, and that’s my goal each and every day. I have every intention of celebrating a wonderful 60th birthday.

How to re-ignite the fire in your belly:
• Have goals and dreams … goals and dreams so real and important to you that you can taste them, feel them.

• What stirs your soul? Where do you want to be next year? At age 55? At age 60? At age 90? Let yourself dream without any of the “yeah, but...” stuff that can cause us to lose confidence or faith in ourselves.

• Not sure what you want? Get out of town for a few days. (I used to get in the car and go, returning three or four days later with a new dream in tow.) Take a week in a monastery or in a fishing cabin up nort’ in Canada or the Upper Peninsula. Ideas will come. Dreams will emerge. That click-click-click of the auto-igniter in your soul will finally catch an idea and burst into hot flames.

• Feed the flame with motivational books. Corny. No way. In fact, drag a few along with you on your dream quest. I personally love The One Minute Millionaire and my old favorite, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, as well as Covey’s Seven Habits.

The bottom line: If you’re doing it right – if you’re giving your business and your life your all, you will hit a wall from time to time; you will burn out. It’s part of what makes an SBO an SBO. The trick is to go out —again and again and as often as necessary — to re-ignite your soul, reconnect to your old dream or find a new one … and get back in the game.

Work hard. Make money. Have fun. And dream.

By John Ingrisano

John Ingrisano is a small business owner and the author of The Back to Basics Book of Selling: A Guide to A Successful Sales Career. Contact John at john@ TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com.