I was recently speaking with an entrepreneur about how hard startups can be on the founder. Given a successful startup is usually a 10+ year journey, how do you sustain the pace?
You will doubt yourself, keep going
There are many times you will look in the mirror and doubt yourself: your ability to close a deal, to deliver a product, to build the right team, to survive for another six months. Just keep going. It is amazing what can happen when you continue showing up every day, listen and learn, and keep tinkering until you find the right magic.
Things will go wrong – control what you can control
It is a guarantee things will go wrong. But I love the quote: life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Acknowledge the problem, find the best path forward, and don’t worry about what you can’t control.
Surround yourself with a great team
Whether it be your spouse, co-founder, team, or investors you want to build a great culture (that you 100% control). That team will help you through the ups and downs, fight through challenges together, and deliver and celebrate key milestones. The people make all the difference.
The reality is doing a startup comes with sacrifices in some other areas of your life. This could involve family relationships, friends, hobbies, etc. that will take a back seat. Make sure you are choosing wisely what you are willing to sacrifice.