When you're an entrepreneur, building a business can sometimes feel like running a marathon while juggling flaming torches. The pressure of articulating your vision, creating something meaningful, and chasing after financial stability is a lot to carry. In the thick of it all, you might find yourself staring at your financial spreadsheets, wondering where the revenue is going to come from next. You might feel like every decision needs to be made right now—before it’s too late.
But here’s the thing: sometimes the best thing you can do as an entrepreneur is take a breath. We’ve all heard the saying, "move fast and break things," right? It’s a mantra that comes from the Lean Startup philosophy, emphasizing the need for experimentation, iteration, and speed. It encourages entrepreneurs to act quickly, fail fast, and learn from their mistakes. And yes, there’s merit to that.
But here's where we need a little balance. As we hustle to build something amazing, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and fall into a cycle of reacting out of fear. When money is tight, or you’re feeling pressure to make things work, fear can drive decisions more than facts. It can lead you to jump into things too quickly, without really understanding the long-term impact. Or you might get so laser-focused on your financial models and projections that you forget the fundamental driver of any business—sales and growth.
Jenny Blake, in her book Pivot, says, “You can’t control the outcome, but you can control your process.” This resonates deeply with the importance of taking a step back, breathing, and being intentional in your decision-making. Instead of reacting on impulse, we need to allow space for thoughtful reflection and strategy. After all, quick decisions without enough breathing room might leave us blindsided by outcomes we didn’t foresee.
So, when you're feeling the pressure of a startup’s whirlwind pace, and the fear of not having enough to stay afloat starts to creep in, remember: don’t rush. Breathe. Allow the situation to unfold a little longer, gather the facts, and anticipate where things might go. Yes, move fast—but don’t forget to respect your need to slow down when it matters most.
Give yourself permission to make space for planning, for reflecting, and for course correction. It’s not always about breaking things—sometimes, it’s about giving yourself room to breathe and think so you don’t break yourself in the process. The right decision might take time to reveal itself, and that’s okay.
In the end, building a business is about finding a balance between speed and patience, action and reflection. Go outside, change your environment, and let your mind wander. You never know what idea might pop into your head! You’ve got this.
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