Business is Tough – But It’s Also Kind

I realized it’s been a while since I have been kept up at night from those work stress dreams. Anyone else get those? The middle-of-the-night vague sense of panic over a powerpoint or a calendar invite? It took me a long time but I think I have mostly got them beat by seeing that I was stressing over things that probably didn’t matter as much as I thought they did. ?

The business world is tough but kind. I firmly believe that. Between the stories of relentless problems and the glamourization of the hustle, what really stands out has been that while the challenges are real and the environment can be difficult, ultimately the good outshines the bad.??

Over the last seven years, I've started to act according to levels of urgency. There are times to put the pedal to floor and go hard. But more often than you would expect, the pace can be slower and the goal should be steady progress. Not everything is as urgent as it seems. That task you didn't get to today, the one that's causing you stress and keeping you up? It's not going to end you. Trust me, you probably care about it far more than anyone else does.?

In the early days of Token, I took everything to heart. I thought if I didn’t do it, no one else would or could. I felt like everyone was watching every move I made under an entrepreneur microscope, and I couldn’t slip up. I spent so many nights worrying over details, like a client meeting that went sideways or an upcoming investment pitch. I was spinning my wheels and draining my energy. But I eventually realized that while I was losing sleep, it likely wasn’t on the mind of the person on the other side. They’re busy with their own lives and their own urgencies.??

Dwelling on every little hiccup was not just unnecessary but harmful to well-being and productivity. I used to think everything would fall apart if I didn’t find an immediate solution to every problem. Those moments eventually taught me the value of simple communication and negotiation. More often than not, when I reached out to discuss terms or request an invoice extension, I was met with understanding. Business is still inherently human. Most business owners have also been in tough spots and can relate. Often, addressing the stressor in question led us to find agreements that were beneficial to both parties.??

Obviously, there are times when the stakes are genuinely high, and you need to get into it and grind through. But save your energy for those moments so you have reserves to bank on when it’s needed – to seize a once-in-a-business-lifetime opportunity or remedy a truly time-sensitive foundational issue. I remember a day when a major potential investor was openly considering another business over ours and it took me all night to make a case that was ultimately successful. That effort paid off big time, but I was really only able to seize that moment because I had gas in the tank and wasn’t already in burn-out mode. Weirdly I almost enjoy the times when I burned the midnight oil going after a real opportunity. So different than staying up to anxiously sweat the small stuff.?

Accepting that not every day will be a win, and sometimes you just need to accept the L, has been freeing. The lesson in how to rebound is more valuable than the pain of the loss. An entrepreneur I respect once told me, "I’ve never regretted a fire." ?

We’re human so we’re going to find those moments of doubt, but I try to remember the kindness you can find the networks we build. I once shared my financial stresses over a casual coffee catch up, and it led to an unexpected investment that solved the problem. Yes, this was the result of years of built trust and reputation, but I’m telling you: people are ultimately kind.??

Every day is a training exercise so let yourself off the hook a bit the next time you’re up at 2 AM thinking the world will end if you don’t finish that email. And if you need a sanity check or just want to vent, reach out - I’ve had pretty good luck with casual coffee catch ups. ?

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