Staying Motivated with Business Development: Why Friction Matters More Than Willpower

Most intellectual property lawyers assume their problem with business development is motivation.

They tell themselves they need more discipline, more consistency, or more grit.

But that assumption is often wrong.

As I shared in a recent LinkedIn post, when BD feels hard, motivation usually isn’t the problem. Friction is. Most lawyers aren’t unmotivated; they’re overloaded. Reducing unnecessary friction often makes more difference than trying harder.

👉 If this resonates, read the full post here.

This aligns closely with the core teaching of the book What Motivates: Getting Things Done: motivation emerges when work is clear, cognitively manageable, and designed to support progress.

Why BD Drains Motivation So Quickly

Business development is uniquely taxing for IP practitioners because it:

• Competes with deep, technical work

• Has a long and unpredictable payoff

• Lacks clear endpoints or feedback loops

Add vague goals like “network more” or “be visible,” and your brain naturally resists.

According to What Motivates, this resistance isn’t a flaw. It’s a signal that the work is poorly designed.

Motivation Follows Clear Next Steps

One of the most effective ways to reduce friction is to define BD in small, concrete actions.

Not:

“Build a book of business.”

But:

• Show up consistently

• Add value before asking

• Follow through

• Stay visible even when busy

This step-by-step approach works because each action has a clear “done” state which is a powerful motivator.

👉 I broke this down visually in this LinkedIn post.

When BD is framed as the next step instead of the entire climb, motivation becomes much easier to access.

Stop Trying to Love Business Development

Another common motivation trap is believing you’re supposed to enjoy BD.

If you don’t, you assume something is wrong.

What Motivates makes it clear: enjoyment is not required. Curiosity is.

That’s why I often use what I call the Fun Scale:

1. I have to do it

2. I should do it

3. I’m curious about it

4. I enjoy doing it

5. I love doing it

If BD currently sits at a 1 or 2, the goal isn’t passion. It’s to get to at least 3.

Curiosity lowers resistance and creates just enough momentum to start.

👉 I explore this idea further here: The BD Fun Scale.

Ask yourself:

• What would make this conversation more interesting?

• What would make this outreach feel more human?

• What would make this easier to start next time?

Progress Is a Stronger Motivator Than Results

Another key insight from What Motivates is that visible progress fuels motivation more reliably than distant outcomes.

Yet many practitioners measure BD success only by new matters.

Motivation increases when you track:

• Follow-ups sent

• Conversations reactivated

• Helpful touchpoints made

• Systems used consistently

Progress keeps you engaged long before results show up.

Design BD to Fit Your Brain, Not an Idealized Version of You

The IP practitioners who stay motivated over the long term don’t rely on hype or willpower.

They:

• Limit BD channels instead of chasing all of them

• Create repeatable follow-up systems

• Reduce decision-making

• Build routines that survive busy periods

In other words, they design BD to reduce friction.

Motivation isn’t something you’re missing. It’s something that shows up when BD is clear, manageable, and human.

Stay in the game long enough (step by step, level by level) and motivation tends to follow.

The Bottom Line

Motivation is not the missing ingredient in your business development. The real driver is design: clarity, manageable steps, curiosity, and visible progress. When you focus on reducing friction and making BD easy to start, sustainable effort and results naturally follow.

Here’s Your Plan for This Month

1. Pick one BD action and define it clearly. For example: “Send one thoughtful follow-up email to a past client” rather than “network more.”

2. Move up the Fun Scale by one level. If BD feels like a 1 or 2, focus on curiosity. Ask yourself, “What would make this slightly more interesting?”

3. Track visible progress. Mark every completed BD action on a tracker or calendar. Celebrate the small wins; they compound over time.

Next Step

If you’d like help creating a step-by-step, friction-free BD plan tailored to your practice and personality, my Strategy Session walks you through exactly that. No generic tips — just a clear, actionable plan to start moving forward this month. Reach out today!

And if this resonated, please share to spread the word to more IP lawyers. My goal is to help as many as possible!