Only the one worried about being late will end up on time
How driving towards success doesn’t feel like success
Founders are paradoxical — assertive, self-assured, and future-predicting while being the most anxious, doubting, and worried. This dichotomy feels false to someone who isn’t a founder but is at the heart of success. Founders are anxious but ambitious souls.
One morning, when I was building my first startup, I woke up to a blizzard, and my first thought was that I would be late for the first meeting at work. I stressed through a quick breakfast, jumped on my bike, and got there a couple of minutes after the set time — sweaty but most of all stressed for being late. Naturally, I was not the only one to come in late; many didn’t make it at all.
I sat alone in the big conference room. Relieved that I wasn’t “late” anymore. But also irritated. Irritated that others were lax about being late and not communicating, but also irritated at myself for always being anxious about not being “good enough.”
As I sat there increasing my blood’s caffeine percentage, it dawned on me: This anxiety was also my superpower. I realized that the only person on time for this meeting was the one who woke up worried about being late. I realized how that has been a life trait for me in everything: worrying about cash flow, not winning a customer, the product not being the best, etc. That worry is the one “keeping me sharp.”
I work with many founders today who fight with that worry. They also struggle with the need to sound confident and assertive, as if they know what will happen in the future. Tossing and turning in bed, but also standing tall on stage.
I always try to remind them that their worry won’t go away, and they don’t want it to (unless they want to get off the horse.)
The tricks are to:
- Learn to let go and rest — stress wears down
- Focus your worry on things that matter — learn to accept and ignore
- Talk about your worries with people who care and delegate
But, for better or worse, the worry won’t go away. Worrying makes you win. Only the one worried about being late will end up on time.
