VC Minute – quick advice to help startup founders fundraise better.
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When was the last time that you gave yourself permission to spend time on yourself?
It’s not enough to just spend time doing something that you want– to take a break one night and then fret all about the things that you could be doing or should be doing. This is completely counterproductive. Giving yourself permission is the critical part of this.
Years ago, I was mentoring a local founder. He was working on a really cool idea in an industry I love, but it was really hard to monetize. He called me one day in a panic as a few awful things happened simultaneously, and combined, they were the death knell of his business. He was an absolute wreck, understandably so. There was nothing more he could do that day to try and resolve the issues.
In a state like that very little good can come from trying to work through problems.
I suggested he leave the office and go for a hike. It’s Colorado and hikes are usually pretty accessible, but he had to first give himself permission to put it all down and walk out the door, even just for that day. He called me later and was in a completely different state of mind. He gave himself permission to leave, called his fiancé, and they went for a long hike. He was able to reset emotionally and approach the impending closure of his startup with a clear head. It was a sad situation, but he was able to handle it better because he gave himself permission to step away and spend some time on himself.
Don’t wait until the world is crumbling around you to do this for yourself. Schedule it, give yourself permission and do it.
One of my rules and you’ve probably heard me say this before is vote with your dollars. Invest with your hours. Go invest in yourself.
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