Building a Business Has Struggles

Read time: 2 mins 41 secs

Good morning! Here’s to waking up and starting the day with a smile even though there’s fires burning.

Warning: Before we dive in, let me warn you: this newsletter is candid look at struggling with setbacks and a mental breakdown. If it’s upsetting or way to early for something emotional, I understand if you choose to skip this one.

Now, before you start wondering if I'm about to share a sob story, let me assure you, this isn't a group therapy session. It's more like a 'real-talk' session. Also, the question of the week is IN the newsletter.

Okay, let’s go.

Let's start with the elephant in the room: building a business can suck.

There, I said it.

It's not always fun. In fact, sometimes it's downright painful.

In really, it's more like assembling IKEA furniture. It starts off fun, then you can't find the right screws, the instructions make no sense, and you're left questioning your life choices.

But here's the thing: starting a business is the easy part. The challenging part comes in the follow-through. It's sticking to the task at hand even when motivation, willpower, and early wins have left the building.

Last week, I felt the pressure of building. And in all honesty, I caved. I let myself drink for the first time in a year, woke up 2-3 hours late every day, and inhaled a whole ice cream cake (I wish I was joking). I wasn't having a breakdown, but I did veer off course a little.

I once worked with a business owner who put in an insane 18-20 hours a day (seriously, no exaggeration). Despite being on the brink of burnout, she felt like she was falling behind. The problem was that she was so focused on what she hadn't achieved that she completely overlooked her wins.

I'm not suggesting we all start patting ourselves on the back for every minor success. Rather, it's crucial to recognize that even in the midst of chaos, we're still pushing forward, still doing business.

So, here's a thought shift: don't just list your successes. Acknowledge them. In the fog of struggles, remember that you're still pushing forward, you're still getting things done.
For those of you in the trenches, here are some no-nonsense reads from entrepreneurs who've been there, done that, and got the T-shirt:

1. "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz

2. "The Year Of No Non-Sense" by Meredith Atwood

3. "Atlas of the Heart" by Brene Brown

That's it for this week's newsletter. A little motivational but thought it was needed this week.

SO! Thanks for reading… or scrolling to the end! I made you a promise to share thought shifts to help you monetize your time. What do you rate todays newsletter? Hit reply and let me know

• It’s good

• Meh

• Who are you? IDKY I’m getting this email — er newsletter.

• Dude, I just scrolled to the end to find something interesting.