I fucked up.

And then I discussed it with a room full of strangers, which felt like another fuckup. It was one of the more vulnerable things I've done. It feels vulnerable to share it here too because this is a professional space, so when the video went up on Tuesday I decided not to. Then I got a bunch of unexpected emails and messages with stories far too similar to my own. Those people said it helped to hear that they're not alone. So, despite the voice in my brain shouting, I'm sharing it here now.

So many incredible people in our community are treating their bodies as vessels to get their brains from meeting to meeting. They're feeling immense pressure to build their companies at the same time as side hustling and building their personal brands. There aren't enough hours in the day, so we push our bodies and minds just a little bit harder. Our culture tells us this is the right thing to do. Beyonce wasn't born in a day, after all, so get after it.

It's a hamster wheel that makes us sick. It's toxic, and it hurts the hardest working young people around us the most. Those of us who can be honest about our struggles, should. It helps. We all have an obligation to speak honestly about our own stories, instead of just isolating the shiny bits.

No more writing unhelpful self-congratulatory poetry on here about your 'resilience'. No more painting yourself as the hero who went through trials and tribulations to emerge victorious. Life is messier than those narratives, and I'm bored of that shit. I want you to get raw or nothing. I hope you join me in sharing some of the dark bits in your story without agenda, so the people coming after us can feel just a little less alone.