Founder Mental Health Pledge转发了
Dear founders, wellness matters more than you think. As an early-stage VC, you might be surprised when you hear me say this, but success isn't just about the next big IPO or ~billion~ dollar valuation. It's about taking care of ourselves so we can show up as our best selves every day. For years, I neglected my own wellbeing. Long nights, sacrificing family, and way too much alcohol. I thought I was being productive, but I was really just running myself into the ground. It wasn't until I started prioritizing my health that I realized what I'd been missing. The clarity, energy, and focus I gained were game-changing. Suddenly, I was able to bring my full self to both my work and my family. For founders especially, wellness is an often overlooked factor in long-term success. Startups are a marathon, not a sprint. Burnout is real. It can derail even the most promising companies. That's why I encourage the founders I work with to build wellness practices into their routines from day one. Whether it's meditation, exercise, therapy, or simply unplugging for a few hours each day Teams that value self-care tend to be more creative, resilient, and ultimately successful. The key is to be intentional making it a non-negotiable part of your life. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. For me, sobriety has been a cornerstone of my wellness journey. But even small changes can make a big impact. Maybe it's setting boundaries around work hours, or scheduling regular check-ins with a mentor or therapist. Find what works for you. Then stick with it.
Jesse Middleton beautiful words. Self-awareness and Self-development are the only work we'll have "for life"; all other jobs/startups will just change or end sooner than our lives.
I am so happy to see someone in venture talking about this. THANK YOU! I agree, and it’s built into our entire company culture. We’re big on self-care and growing at a sustainable pace over at Divergently! I also second Founder Mental Health Pledge. It’s an incredible organization helping prevent founder burnout.
Spot on - glad you were able to take notice and turn things around. Everyone needs to focus a little more on their health & wellbeing.
The Canadian mental health Association, in its 2019 study titled Going It Alone, recognizes the entrepreneurship narrative that glorifies hustle is harmful to founders and their businesses. They also encourage us to shift that narrative and Jesse Middleton you are doing exactly that. So thank you. Your experience is why I advocate for founder mental health plans that enable founder mental health to be integrated into business plans and processes: so founder wellbeing doesn’t go by the wayside. Of course as humans we are all worthy of care. It’s not only because we are our business’ greatest asset that we should be cared for. But the fact that we *are* our business’ greatest asset adds weight to the argument in favour of supporting founder mental and emotional wellbeing. Healthy and successful founders mean healthy and successful businesses.
Thanks for sharing this.
So glad you share your story so openly - founders, listen up!
More health more wealth ??
Reading your posts makes me very proud to be a Flybridge portco founder! (Now I just need to follow your advice as I lay in bed convalescing with Covid from a week of conferences ????♂?)
Helping High Performing Executives Turn Burnout into Post-Traumatic Growth Breakthroughs with Retreats | The Burnout Interventionist ???
7 个月You’re a hero in my eyes Jesse, thanks for sharing courageously, and what founders need to hear among a culture of hustle and achievement. ????