Running a rapidly growing startup is a bit like a never ending circuit training in the gym. In the gym, you know you’ll go for say 6 rounds. Rounds 1 and 2 are easy, and then it starts to get hard. Round 5 is hell, but round 6 is easy too because you know it’s going to end soon.
The trick with a startup is… you stay on number 5 and it never ends. You get to 6, 7, 8… 47… and it goes on and on. Psychologically, not having a set end point or knowing when it’ll come is very very tough. I’ve never done a marathon, but I think it’s a little bit like that. Or maybe an Ironman. In either case, you can never really “be ready”. You just have to go all in, and hope that you can make it. If the finish line actually exists at all.
It’s this uncertainty that’s slowly trying to kill you.
Can I find enough new clients to pay my rapidly expanding team?
How will people react to a salary cut?
Will the people I put in charge of client work perform or screw it up?
Will the money I’m spending on paid advertising bring a return or will it be a waste (again)?
Am I able to continue work crazy hours day in and day out or will I get sick/break down?
The stakes are much higher, and there are many other people and businesses on the line. The price of failure is high.
In Culture Code, I’ve read that the marines use some quite peculiar tactics while training. For example, carrying large utility poles (huge logs) around. There is no easy way to do it. Everyone breaks down, the exercise is designed for that. It’s up to teamwork to still move that pole as directed. And to teach the recruits that the break down point is where real work actually starts. Day in, day out.
If you’re like most people, you’ll never go far enough to actually reach you breaking point. Which is a big shame – some much unrealized potential in the world. A common mental masturbation play you might toy around with is “but I don’t know what to do”.
Yes you do. Just go on a 3h walk without your phone and listen to what’s inside. You know exactly what you need to do. It’s just that it’s fucking hard and you’re too afraid of failing to actually give it a shot. Well guess what. It breaks anyone. It will break you too if you try.
But the hard thing about the hard things is that you just have to keep going anyway.
Have a chill evening and a killer start of the week!
P.S .Post made you think? Tell me. Tell others. Maybe it helps you reach your own breaking point.
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