Energy is a startup founder's most precious resource - with Rachel Hamlin
* This is a shortened version of our newsletter at Meet.Capital . Every week I interview startup founders, investors, and experts on our podcast, then share the insights and takeaways in our newsletter.
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Maintaining a strong mindset is a true challenge for many founders. Everyone has to deal with anxiety and other mental health issues from time to time, but founders are often under a lot of pressure. Startup founders also often end up lonely in dealing with their fears and difficulties.
Rachel Hamlin is a coach for founders and executives. We had an open discussion about her approach to founders’ mental well-being, upholding a strong presence, meditation, and more.
As always, I asked Rachel to share 5 tips for startup founders. Here they are:
1. Maintaining your mindset should be a top priority. It's essential to maintain a strong belief in what you're doing even when people will try to discourage you or undermine your mission. If you take it for granted, you might lose heart and focus and see your resolve weaken as you will inevitably face difficulties through your journey. Dedicate time to strengthening your faith in yourself and your mission.
2. For your overall well-being, take care of your mind as you do for your body. Keeping in shape and going to the gym will help you, but it isn’t enough. To create a strong, resilient growth mindset, you must manage your mental and inner strength as you do your physical health.
3. Your energy is your most precious resource, so be exceptionally discerning about how you use it. Treat your mental energy as a precious resource, as you do for your time. If something doesn’t contribute positively to your life, even something as simple as a dinner with a former colleague, it’s okay to say no. Being selective in smaller matters trains you to apply the same discernment in more significant, challenging situations.
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4. Your mindset is the key to connecting with investors. Human connection is the key to your success in fundraising and other business transactions. What will sell an investor on your product over a competitor often comes down to their personal connection with you. Learn to stay open and present whenever you are communicating, to enhance your ability to connect and relate.
5. Turn to your values when making decisions. When facing hard decisions, first zoom out and assess what you truly value. Whether it’s maintaining relationships with the right business contacts or making compromises to advance your goals, knowing what you value helps simplify these decisions and reduces your mental strain.
* Listen to our conversation on the MC Starutps Podcast, or on our YouTube channel.
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