Startups feel good sometimes, but they mostly hurt like hell.
There’s a huge misunderstanding about starting a business: that it will make you feel good.
People will tell–I mean, sell–you the idea that entrepreneurship is all about doing what you love, following your passion, and taking control of your life.
Those can be part of a startup, but here’s the truth.
Most of the things that we have to do to build awesome businesses is monotonous at best, horribly painful at worst. That’s just the truth.
That’s something to be excited about.
Why should you be excited about pain?
You should be excited about pain because you now have the opportunity to face it down. You get the chance to dive deep into it and do what you need to do. Often, pain is where the progress begins.
One of the major problems with newer entrepreneurs is that they do the things that feel like work, but that aren’t really work. Doing work that isn’t really work feels so good. It’s the equivalent of making your bed in the morning: it’s good that you did it, it makes you feel good, and it even looks good, but you didn’t really accomplish anything.
Most of the time, the real work hurts.
That’s a good thing.
Toughen up.
Do the tough work.
Have the tough conversations.
Make the tough calls.
Toughen up.
Your startup will thank you for it.
—
Photo: Flickr/Pedro Ribeiro Simões