Startup founders are often stressed and anxious .This is often because of a common perception of a ‘startup’ being a miracle worker, who innovates and is naturally focussed and hardworking. The unseen pressure creates inner conflict and sometimes mental illness. Founders, start-ups and the whole community need to prioritise mental wellness and signal on sustainable innovation in a better way. Just as Olympic athletes have a support system and a community that wants them to succeed ,start-up founders also need a support system.
In the initial stages, there is no doubt freedom, but here is also uncertainty and anticipation. Once there is clarity on what is the product offering, new pressures arise. The biggest source of pressures come from investors,peers and even spouses,who still might challenge why you left your stable life for a whimsical idea.
In a normal career, everyday adds to your CV, but in a start-up, the outcome can be very binary. Sometimes seeking out to a community that is supportive rather than just relying on one’s existing network can be a life-saver.
What start-up founders need to do is
- Learning to compartmentalise—keeping personal and digital identity separate. It is important to reinforce that there are other things than the ‘company’ that is also important, specially people like parents, siblings, friends etc
- While relating with the startup community, acknowledging that things are not as great as they seem with others also.There is a need to care a lot less about what people think and be the captain of one’s own ship
- Remember that at the end of the day ,getting things done is about focus and focus is also about what you don’t do.
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