Running a startup is a world apart from traditional employment. Regular jobs come with their own set of challenges, but entrepreneurship introduces a whole new level of stress and difficulty. The journey of building a startup isn’t for everyone. Many people step away from it because of the intense pressure and the myriad of obstacles founders encounter.

That’s why it’s important to recognize that running a startup is not just about technical expertise or industry knowledge. Those skills might help you create an impact and grow your business, but they are far from the full picture. The true essence of running a startup is also about having immense emotional strength and mental resilience. It’s this resilience that helps you navigate the unpredictable waters of entrepreneurship.

This combination of technical ability and emotional strength is both the most intriguing and challenging aspect of startups. In this article, I aim to help fellow founders and startup owners build emotional resilience, which is a crucial skill for success.

Recognizing your emotions

The first step in building emotional resilience is recognizing your emotions and understanding that they are valid. Ignoring or dismissing them because of insecurity or fear won’t help. When you’re building a startup, you’re bound to experience new emotions as you navigate uncharted territory. Accepting and acknowledging these emotions is essential. You can’t bypass this step. Only after recognizing your feelings can you begin to regulate them.

Communicating your emotions

Once you’ve acknowledged your emotions, it’s important to communicate them: both personally and professionally. As a startup founder, you’ll need support from your family and close friends. It’s crucial to keep them informed about your emotional state so they understand what you’re going through and how they can support you. Remember, people can’t help you unless they know what’s bothering you.

In your startup, it’s also necessary to share your emotions with your co-founders, team members, or mentors. They need to know how you’re feeling about particular projects and your overall outlook on the business. Clear communication keeps everyone aligned and ensures that you receive the professional support you need when challenges arise.

Regulating your emotions internally

While communicating your emotions is essential, external support may not always be available. Additionally, overexpressing yourself can confuse or burden those around you. This is where internal emotional regulation becomes important.

Learning how to manage your emotions internally is a skill every founder must master. You need to be able to calm yourself down and regain focus when you’re in “crisis mode.” There are many meditation techniques and exercises that can help with emotional regulation. These include mindfulness, breath awareness, body scanning, zazen, and transcendental meditation. You can explore these techniques on your own, use guided apps, or seek help from a professional trainer. Over time, they will enable you to manage your emotions and reactions effectively, especially during high-pressure situations. Additionally, adaptability is key. As a founder, you’ll need to shift your emotional approach depending on the situation. For example, you’ll want to be optimistic when pitching to investors, empathetic when dealing with customers, and realistic when evaluating your team’s performance.

Learning from your emotions

Beyond recognizing and regulating your emotions, it’s crucial to learn from them. Your emotions are actually valuable signals that offer feedback about your environment.

For example, boredom might indicate that your business is stagnating or not progressing at the pace you expected. And anxiety could be a sign of underlying uncertainties or potential hurdles you need to address. By paying attention to these emotional signals, you can gain insights into what’s going on around you and adjust your actions accordingly.

Leveraging your emotions for creativity and problem-solving

Finally, don’t just manage your emotions—use them to fuel your creativity and problem-solving abilities. Emotions can be a powerful source of innovation. As a founder, your life revolves around solving problems and thinking creatively, so harness your emotions to help you in these areas.