One thing every entrepreneur quickly discovers is that building a business is an emotional roller-coaster ride. As Matt Salzberg, CEO of fast-growing meal kit startup Blue Apron, so eloquently put it: “One day you may think your business is going bankrupt, one day you might be riding high because you just landed a new client, partnership or really great story.”
That ability to ride the ups and downs is one of the few things you actually control in building your company. It can also be your greatest competitive advantage, as the faster you’re able to bounce back from a setback, the faster you’ll be able to move forward.
You develop mental toughness and resilience just like you develop a physical muscle, by applying stress so it becomes stronger. The good news is that every day of building a company offers plenty of opportunity to train and get better.
Even if you weren’t born an effervescent optimist, you can train yourself to bounce back quicker and stronger.