I want to share a secret with you: “killing it” and “crushing it” in your business doesn’t mean you are a thriving founder. If you are constantly overworking yourself to reach that next big external goal and neglecting your internal wellbeing; it really doesn’t matter how much you are “killing it” at work. This type of behavior will eventually kill you because you will burn all aspects of yourself out.
Being a thriving founder is really not about the constant grind towards external outcomes. Outcomes can and usually do come and go. You can’t control that, no matter how much you put in the hours. On the other hand, your internal happiness and well-being is the only thing that you can control and sustain.
If you fall into the category of the founder that is only focused on the external; ask yourself, do you have the following symptoms:
Taking Time Off
Are you the type of founder that prides themself on not taking any time off in years? Have you ever taken a vacation? Do you avoid even taking time off when family or personal emergencies arise? If you leave the office, do you believe that you cannot rely on your team to fix any problems that may arise?
Codependent Relationship With Your Company
Do you feel like if the company is doing well, you are well; or if the company is doing poorly, you feel / are poorly? Is your mood dictated by the company’s performance or by the praises or cricitisms your company gets?
Poor Mental, Physical, Emotional Health
Do you suffer from a mental health disorder like (not an exhaustive list): anxiety, depression, multiple personality, or bi-polar? Have those mental health disorders gotten more aggressive as a result of you working on your business? Do you feel constant stress or burnout? Did you develop hypertension or high blood pressure due to your business? Do you have constant mood shifts due to your business? Are you prone to overreact, blow things out of proportion, do you have a short fuse? Do you feel you are constantly angry and can’t control your anger? Do you feel out of control all the time? Have you been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or physical health problem in or around the time you started your business?
Your Relationships With Others Are Suffering
Do you feel like you are losing connections with your loved ones? Have you lost friends, family, and partners around the time you have been working on your business? Do you feel alone or lonely most of the time? Do your colleagues and subordinates like working with you? Do you get along with the people at work or do you feel like they fear interacting with you?
There Has Got To Be A Better Way
Do you feel like you don’t have a handle on your business? Do you feel like you don’t want to work at your business anymore because you are lethargic or tired of the constant grind? Do you feel like there is a better way to run your business?
No Impact
Do you feel like you aren’t making any impact at work? Do you feel like you cannot depend on your team; or you don’t want to depend on your team? Do you feel like the time you put in your business is a waste? Do you feel you can’t accomplish what you set out to do in your business?
Drugs, Alcohol, Addiction
Do you have any addictions to vice behaviours and toxic or illegal substances that keep you from performing your best? Do you have any addictions that are ruining your health, livelihood, and relationships with others?
If your answer to several or most of these questions is “Yes”
You probably aren’t a thriving founder. But that is ok! The fact that you can acknowledge that you may have these symptoms is the first step. It means that you are already reflecting inwardly. When we reflect inwardly, we have a higher chance of getting to the root cause of the problem. And, we have a higher chance of fixing that problem.
Founders Thriving is not here to tell you that your business is the problem. It is here to guide and lead you to tackling the root causes as to why you are feeling, thinking, and behaving in a way that is leading you to feel burnt out, unstable, and unhappy. We don’t do patch work for symptoms. Our retreat, September 19-25, in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua is here to be a safe environment to do deep work so you can heal on a mind, body, and soul level. You will learn from relaxation, meditation, yoga, and workshops on how best to shift your focus away from the highs and lows of the external to create lasting inward wellbeing and happiness.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can start working towards making a lasting, sustainable shift towards thriving, consider joining a Founders Thriving Experience or a Coaching engagement.
If you have questions or need more information, feel free to reach out directly to Gv.
