Dealing With Anxiety When Starting A Business
Watchfulness.
It means paying close attention to something — and being vigilant. It’s similar to “wakefulness.”
In Greek, watchfulness translates to nepsis. The word it derives from — nepho — “means to guard, inspect, examine, watch over and keep under surveillance.”
What does this have to do with anxiety? And how does it even relate to starting a business?
Both are great questions. My best advice is this:
Guard your mind
Now, I know there are anxiety disorders — which are different. That’s not what I’m talking about here.
Instead, I’m talking about the type of anxiety we perceive internally from things we conjure up in our minds. These could be real or imaginary.
Look — I’m not a doctor or healthcare professional. I’m sharing knowledge from my own experience. So, take it as that and see if it works for you.
But, if you want to have any chance at beating the anxiety of launching your business, you need to prioritize your mindset.
I've found that a great way to get control of things is to have a written plan. This free goal setting planner (printable PDF) can help you get started in the right direction.
Why you should guard your mind
“You have the power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
This quote from Marcus Aurelius tells us everything we need to know. You must begin to take control of your thoughts.
This is the beginning of putting off that anxiety. If you’re a spiritual person, a great way to begin is prayer. If that’s not you, then consider meditating. Focus on calming yourself.
How to guard your mind
If you want to become more disciplined, focus on one thing at a time. Don’t let your mind off the hook.
Instead, think of it as a dog you’re taking for a walk in your neighborhood. That dog better be on a leash, right?
Apply the same concept with your mind. It’s yours to control. It is your mind.
Are you building your first website for your business? Break it down into small pieces. Then, tackle one at a time.
Are you dipping your toe into digital writing? Write one social media post per day and send it out.
Anxious about business structure and entity creation? Talk to a few advisors. Many will do a consultant call for free to start. Or find a local business meetup and ask your questions.
Just start — and keep it simple
This question was posed on Quora: “I had a lot of anxiety after starting a new business. What should I do?”
I thought the answer from user Bett Willet was insightful:
“Some anxiety goes along with anything new. The good anxiety that foresees what you need to do, helps you plan and get going, get things in order, and make sure everything you need for your business is where it should be. Without that kind of anxiety we would always be late or disorganized.”
You can do this one moment at a time. Today is another day to begin again.
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"Everything comes with anxiety, how you deal with it tells alot to the world"
Unknown'
Totally agree with you on this!
@indieroon thanks for the comment! That’s a perfect quote—so true!
It’s all in your response. Be proactive not reactive! Happy New Year!
Keeping things simple, breaking them up into small chunks and attacking them one by one is solid advice @DavidDomzalski
If all else fails, brew some tea and take a shower (@GuptaAnubhav12 and @sailxjx)
I personally find learning about how other people deal with their struggles very calming. It puts my own obstacles into perspective and, honestly, despite the initial stress and anxiety that they've caused, every one of them starts looking more like an existential exercise, rather than a real problem.
I've met an entrepreneur from Eastern Europe who ran a bar/restaurant and a grocery store. He had to deal with very real problems, like corruption, aggressive competition and just plain old intimidation. He had to pay protection/inspection money to the gangsters/politicians before he could pay his bank loans and himself. Nevertheless he persevered, used his charisma and ingenuity to attract business, became known in his neighborhood, opened two more locations and finally felt like he could start thinking strategically instead of just surviving. He bought a piece of land and started building a nice family home. His long term dream was to move his family out of a cramped apartment and finally he had the means to do it.
At that time COVID hit and he lost half of his revenue. He stopped the construction, cut his costs by changing the list of items he was selling, dug in and prepared to fight to save his businesses. The pandemic passed, he sold one of the businesses and finished the construction of the house. With his family in a new place and no construction expenses he started thinking about investing the extra profit back into the business in order to grow it.
Just as he was about to invest into a larger venue, the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. He shut down his business, came to the United States with his family and got a temporary job delivering kitchen appliances.
Despite all of these ups and downs, he's very optimistic about the future and he doesn't have any hang-ups about the past. He doesn't seem to have much self induced anxiety, yet he understands the risk and the amount of work required to get a business off the ground.
Above all, he's OK with starting a business from scratch. He treats it as another hurdle he'll get over eventually and he's willing to take chances and work hard at trying to make it.
As he put it himself: "life is a game, you can't be afraid to play".
So, back to how other people's stories help me deal with anxiety...
The game I'm playing is not as daunting as I imagine it in my mind. My issue is not being able to put as much time into my project as I want, while other people deal with seriously rough stuff. Yet, they are not anxious, they are excited about building businesses (and their lives) all over again.
Having that perspective is calming.
Thank you for sharing this detailed account and story, Alex (@codingitup). I like how you're using others' stories to put things into perspective for yourself. We think we have it bad until we see the struggles someone else faces. Having that empathy and humility can make you not just a great entrepreneur -- but an amazing person and friend. Someone who can connect with another soul.
I would love to learn more about your story and your friend's story if you're interested in sharing. I think they would be great for one of my new projects with @marc2242, FounderReports.com
Well said, Dave! Definitely, listening and relating to other people gives you perspective.
That was one of those serendipitous meetings and this story is all I have. It had a positive impact on me and now that I have it written down, it's a nice reminder to keep playing and stay optimistic.
Thanks for the invitation to share, I'll keep it in mind for the future!
Thank you! It's amazing when that happens. Please keep in touch. I'd love to connect and follow your journey.
Try to be calm everyday lol
Like that straightforward approach, @ALexLSocialMedia :)
I've dealt with a lot of mental struggle and pressure while building with startups, now when I look back I think my mental growth has been a leap around this stress and stuff,
I started new hobbies like brewing tea, reading books and mentoring students in free time to fix my brain from thinking about stuff that I don't need to
if anyone is dealing with similar situations and want to have a word with me I'm always up for a chat to help to deal with situations since just a talk helps to let off that pressure
Thank you, @GuptaAnubhav12. That's beautiful that you identify an issue you have (or had) -- and you're turning around to offer yourself to others. That's incredible.
Anxiety is not something you can control because it is subconscious.
For instance, if you have an important exam it really doesn't matter how much you guard your thoughts or you force yourself to think about something else instead, you're going to be anxious.
I like the modern Western philosophy of taking control over one's destiny, but there are, indeed, things you cannot control.
Emotions can be controlled if you understand their source.
Getting there takes a heavy amount of introspection and self-knowledge, though.
Anxiety is worry, and worry are nothing but false facts. It's up to you (your conscious mind) where to go from there.
One can not control how we feel moment to moment, but we do have the choice as humans to decide how long we want to feel a certain way and condition our thoughts to serve us better. It's VERY exciting stuff.
@markjivko and @adamallen - you both make interesting remarks on this one.
Sure, anxiety may come and some are more prone to it than others. But, you can lessen your response to it. Part of my point in the article was taking action can help lessen your anxiety.
So, if you prepare for the important exam, you can lessen anxiety by knowing the material. You may still feel anxious, but you've done the work. On the other hand, if you fail to prepare, you have every right to be anxious! It likely won't end well...
Hi Dave, Thanks for sharing. I am new here in micro startup world. Going through the same fear of failure and competition anxiety the moment I'm writing this. It did helped me realize that I can do it. I have bunch of ideas that I want to try out but struggling to make the final decision on which to start. Any inputs or suggestions how should I start?
First of all, welcome, @priyashpatil! You'll encounter that fear and anxiety for sure. But, you're not alone in that. We all feel it even after years in the business world. I've heard of veteran, well-known standup comedians and presenters that still throw up before going on stage. The point is to face that fear regardless.
You're an idea factory. I get it. So, am I. It's hard to parse through all of that constantly. But, word of warning, don't get distracted by every squirrel.
Here's what you can do:
Does that help? Follow me and connect. Happy to chat and support.
Thank you so much @DavidDomzalski. I've note down the points. And let's connect sometime for networking and knowledge sharing purpose.
Reading your article, Dave, really resonated with me. It made me reflect on how I've often let my own anxieties and fears overshadow my entrepreneurial journey. Your emphasis on guarding our thoughts and breaking down tasks to manage anxiety is a powerful reminder. It's comforting to know that this experience is common among entrepreneurs and that there are practical steps we can take to mitigate it. Your insights have inspired me to approach my challenges with a renewed mindset.
I'm so glad to hear this, @Togglecampus. It's not easy out there -- especially as entrepreneurs. I've spoken with a few recently who are battling this burnout for a variety of reasons. That's why we need to call attention to it and support each other.
Feeling anxious in new ventures is absolutely normal—it's the mind's way of preparing for the unknown and ensuring you're ready. Embrace it, learn from it, and forge ahead!
Thank you for this, @JohnDimou. It helps to know we're not alone in this. I appreciate how you say to embrace it. I like that strategy.
Anxiety and fear can keep you safe.
Anxiety and fear (along with other emotions) are primitive responses made to protect us from life-or-death situations.
But we rarely are in such situations in modern life, so they're useless.
What is useful instead is learning acceptance and resignation.
When failure comes (and it inevitably will), you just accept it and move on to something else.
It's all about not being attached to the end result.
Whether you are betting too hard on being successful, or deathly afraid of failure, the truth is neither of those attitudes will allow you to change the outcome.
So you should just not care much about it either way. Simply enjoy the ride, and if you're successful then that success will be not much more than a continuation from the journey.
@Only_Piccolo5736 @kamuidev
Thank you both. Important points all around - but I'd agree focusing on the journey is the healthiest way. Improve yourself - it's who the real battle is with at the end of it all.
I would just like to add that lots and lots of people are in similar positions to you right now, and although starting a business might seem terrifying, you are at the end of the day not only trying to gain money out of it, but also enjoy the process!
Enjoy the process. That's the real takeaway, @TheOtter
One day at a time.
That's the way to be!
I use showers to combat anxiety, and 80% of good ideas come to me while I'm showering.
In the future, perhaps I will start a digital tub.
Just don't drop the digital tub in the shower. That might get messy.
Anxiety = Worry = Fear.
Fear and Excitement are the SAME feeling.
If you feel fearful, trying flipping the mental script. Tell your self how EXCITED you are about the thang ahead. Don't tell yourself a negative story, tell the positive story!
Indeed, @adamallen. It's all in the stories we tell ourselves. Nothing wrong with flipping that script and making it more positive. Great points!
Hey there David, wow that was really an insightful article. Hopefully these tips come in handy if it wasn't already too late to implement them! Best of luck!
Thank you, @Germerlo. I appreciate that awesome feedback.
You can start implementing these right now. It's never too late. Your mind is yours to cultivate and curate.
Thank you for the post! This is something that I thought about in the past. My 2 pieces of advice:
(1) Your business is not you. You have to think about your businesses as small, testable hypotheses as opposed to your whole identity. Unfortunately, sharing your business publicly (a generally good idea) is at odds with this advice.
(2) Large source of potential anxiety - illusion of control over things where in reality you have almost no control. Typical example would be B2B/enterprise sales (something I have done in a past business). You think that you can make a difference by sending that 1 extra e-mail or setting up 1 extra meeting, while in reality the sales prospect has already been lost and just is giving you an illusion of potential success down the line. You have to learn how to avoid these situations. That is why self-service SaaS businesses are so much better for avoiding anxiety.
Thanks for these specific examples, @martinsv. I like what you say about not wrapping your identity in your business - such a beautiful point.
I'd love to pick your brain more about the self-service SaaS businesses lessening/avoiding anxiety. Do you mind sharing more of your thought process there?
In direct sales, there always is a psychological illusion that you can close any lead if only you do more work. At least for me that was the case (I built a fraud detection startup before that sold to large enterprises). That is why the best salespeople have the sayings "quickly move on" and "a new potential client is born every day" - it helps them with avoid this illusion. For me, abandoning leads has always been a problem - I take vague, positive feedback from leads at face value as opposed to a signal that they are probably not interested (since they are not ready to pay now).
For SaaS, self-service, smaller ticket size businesses it is much easier not to fall into this trap of dragging on leads and blaming yourself for not closing them. You realise that there are thousands of potential leads on the Internet, and it is a not a big problem if you don't close one of them. Also, for these businesses, there generally is very little direct sales involved (maybe in the very beginning, when you are trying to validate your idea). That is the case for my current SaaS business - I find this business to be a lot less stressful.
I completely get that psych factor involved. It's a mind game. I'm sure it can get daunting. I saw it with my wife when we were in real estate. Her focus was cold calling potential clients. It takes a toll for sure.
What you explain about SaaS and self-service makes complete sense. In the beginning, it be similar during the validation stage and I'm sure that's true for many. But, depending on your industry, there are a seemingly never-ending supply of customers.
There's a saying from Marcus Aurelius that if it's endurable, endure it; stop complaining.
I think once we accept that life isn't supposed to be easy, and our struggles are what gives it meaning, it becomes much easier to endure it.
Think of playing your favourite video game on the easiest mode, you'll be bored to death, same is true about life, the rewards are only worth it if you've really fought for them.
Such a great insight, @foratbahrani. Struggle gives us our story that we share to encourage and inspire. It gives us our character. If we cease to struggle, we cease to live. Thanks so much!
Another common emotion is self-doubt: whether this idea would work, should we invest that much time on the idea
Great point, Will. That's why validation is important in that respect.
That said, sometimes the act of moving forward - despite not having all the information - can lessen that doubt. You can always pivot, but staying still offers little benefit I've found. It's better to try, fail, and learn.
Dave, thanks for sharing this. I've dealt with anxiety and it's definitely been one of the biggest challenges I've faced in my business, but it's not talked about very often. Thanks for bringing these issues to light.
No problem, @marc2242! It’s going to be a focus on mine in 2024—talking about burnout and mental health for founders. It’s an important topic for our interconnected world. We spend so much time on tech—it can leave us feeling lonely. That goes double for entrepreneurs like us taking care of families!
Hey there, Indie Hackers! @marc2242 and I are launching FounderReports.com on January 8th. We'd love to have your support! Thanks so much!
Thank you all for the amazing feedback and insightful commentary. I'll be catching up on comments today. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
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Thanks.