We all sing the same song of how terrible the rat race of business is, we panic about deals and deadlines and investors who go quiet - if you are busy with or have been through a start up you're familiar with the above.
In my small little start up family we have made a rule to enjoy the ride (which can be a roller coaster at times) - and we now and then sit back and think WOW. 4 guys and 1 girl working on a digital platform to change the world - and look how far we've come.
Obviously there are challenging days when I specifically get a little cranky and sulky - and on other days others are cranky - because we are human. And because we don't live in a beer commercial with bonfires on the beach in the Bahamas and high fives from perfectly sculpted models surrounded by acres of white teeth and a yacht at anchor in the background (here's to getting there though.) But we shape and form one another - due to the very nature of what we do we are in each others faces and company and there can be a bit of friction - so taking stock is important. Sitting back and savouring the moments and the milestones with a few drops of whisky or a beer now and then is not only nice; its essential.
So next time when you didn't sleep well and you are stuck in the traffic and you have a knot in your stomach about whether your business is going to work - take a moment and breathe. Reflect on how far you've come and own your hard work and the mistakes you made - and correct them for the future.
When Eugie Blake turned 100 he was asked for the secret of his longevity: "Always listen to the birds, pay the thunder no mind - and do not hate anybody."
I would add "have a drop of good whisky here and there and tell your team members how great they are."
Enjoy your ride. ![2017-10-20 21.49.50.png] () photo credit: alamy stock