As a founder, if you have an itch, a vision, and a quest to go against the norms, this journey is for you. It is also filled with pain. All the failures are on you; after all, you are leading this revolution.
Time and again, your desperation to win deals and retain employees can create a persona of scarcity and fear. Over the long run, it alters your mind and drains your energy. The only virtues that keep you going are optimism, self-belief, and fearlessness.
You are the horse: you have to run and win. So keep running with optimism. The world will be against you. Your loved ones may laugh at you. But you, my friend, must continue on your path with grit.
Innovation has always happened because of a few knuckleheads who went against the norms.