Staying Focused

I think that’s the hardest thing to do at a startup, or when you run a startup.  Either one.  If you take your eye off the prize for even one minute, everything goes to shit.  Most of the time it’s easy to think you are focused (you have a to do list with metrics and objectives) but the hard part is when human emotions get involved.  Startups are your baby, it’s ridiculous to think that you won’t immediately take it personally.  And by “it”, I mean anything involved with your startup.  It’s not personal, it’s business?  That’s a good one.  Everything is personal at this level.

I’m not saying that’s a good thing, I’m just saying it’s something I never expected.  And it’s something I think every good startup leader needs to overcome.

I’m not sure how, but I think it has something to do with recognizing that you have emotions (i.e. not ignoring them), and then after you throw your pity party or whatever tantrum you want to throw, get over it.  And fast.  I feel like the faster you get over it, and the faster you refocus on DOING something, getting to the end goal, actually working on something and getting it done, the happier you and your startup become.

And I think if you can focus on that, and the fastest way to get THAT thing done, that end goal done, that’s when you win.  And your startup wins.

Ugh. Sometimes I wish I could just reprogram my brain.

But then that would be terrible because right now when I write code it’s AWFUL.  It’s so ugly.

Fine.  Back to the drawing board.