It is often said that ideas are a dime a dozen, and after many attempts to turn seemingly marketable ideas into fluid businesses, many entrepreneurs realize that their brilliant business idea was only good on paper, or maybe was never attractive in the first place.

However, even good ideas are a dime a dozen: if you, or someone you know, runs a successful venture, more likely than not the idea that started the venture was not the only one to come out of their entrepreneurial mind. Anybody can come up with a great idea, and most people come up with several good ideas in their lifetime. What makes a good business is more than an idea. It is working through the idea’s flaws, pursuing the idea’s strengths and seeing the concept through to the end.

If you are sure that your idea is good, then there is no reason not to pursue it. But if you are going to try to turn your business idea into an actual business, it is important that you stay excited about your idea. It is very easy, after working for a couple months, running up credit card debt and sinking to your knees under the weight of a budding enterprise that you can lose the big picture. When your dream job becomes a day-to-day grind, it is more important than ever to stay on top of your game, so your idea can come through to fruition. After all, working for a business that you start is the same as working for any other business. You need discipline, hard work and motivation. Hopefully, the fact that you are working for your own venture will provide some motivation. The rest should come from your confidence in your business plan and grander vision for your company.

Here are some suggestions for keeping yourself motivated and excited about your idea, when the hard work you are putting in doesn’t seem to be worth it:

1. Step back and look at the original notes, plan or picture in which you sketched out your concept. You have it somewhere, maybe on the back of a napkin or in a Word document. Looking at the document which your inspiration created should be an inspiration now, too. It will remind you of the excitement you felt when you first came up with the idea. You can compare the current reality of the company to the vision you first sketched out, and feel confident in your ability to make your idea come as far as it has.

2. Think about how successful your company will be in a couple years from now, rather than how it is doing right now. Sometimes it is hard to look past the next bill payment, but looking at the big picture is very important to keep confidence.

3. Make a chart of major benchmarks and achievements your company has made in the time it has existed. You can mark when you thought up the idea, when it was incorporated, when you posted your first profit, when you gained clients or customers, and when each member of your team joined in. Looking at your company’s growth will help you look forward to growth in the future.

4. Ask your friends if they think your idea is still a good one. This is something that you should be doing consistently throughout the process; if your idea wasn’t good in the beginning, you shouldn’t have started a business. But it’s good to check base with your friends, family, or other advisers as your company grows, to make sure that your goals are still realistic. Don’t look for yes-men on this one; you should be seeking constructive criticism and ways to make your business better.

5. Make a list of your company’s assets. List your computers, your printers, your desks, your kitchen cabinets and most of all your income. Sometimes, listing out the valuable components of your company will help you realize you how valuable your company is.

6. Have confidence! You are the hip manager of a hot new start-up! You have hard work to do but you know it will be worth it in the end.

Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you will feel a bit better about the long, tedious, boring months. We all want that corner office on the 30th floor, but no one gets there without those months. After all, if it was easy, everybody would do it.