Entrepreneurial Manic Depression

I just read a post on the Tim Ferris blog by a friend of mine, Cameron Herold, former COO of 800-Got-Junk. It's one of the best descriptions I've ever read about the roller coaster ride journey of most entrepeneurs. He actually found a pattern for us crazies...

Here is his worthy attempt:

* Stage 1: The first stage of the concept is called “Uninformed Optimism”. At this stage on a rollercoaster, just getting to the top of the rollercoaster, you experience feelings of an adrenalin rush, characterized by excitement and nervous energy.

* Stage 2: The second stage is called “Informed Pessimism”. As you ride over the top of the curve you now have a bit more information. Feelings of fear, nervousness, and frustration begin to set in. Perhaps you even want to get off of it.

* Stage 3 – The third stage is called “Crisis of Meaning”. You’re past scared. You feel despair. It’s as if you’re standing on the edge of a cliff ready to jump, and you begin to think “Today the rollercoaster’s going off the bottom of the track for the very first time.” You feel helpless and you’re both terrified and frozen.

* At this point, you face a critical juncture. You can come off the bottom of the curve and crash and burn, which is when your business goes bankrupt, you lose your marriage, you start drinking, or you end up in a doctor’s office because of stress. Or you can come around the corner because you’re getting support at “Crisis of Meaning” and you can enter an upward swing call “Informed Optimism”.

* Stage 4 – Informed Optimism. You’re calm. You’re informed. You might even say you are cautiously optimistic.

And there are other insightful comments in the post too, like:

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, once wrote:

“First and foremost, a start-up puts you on an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything you have ever experienced. You flip rapidly from day-to-day – one where you are euphorically convinced you are going to own the world, to a day in which doom seems only weeks away and you feel completely ruined, and back again. Over and over and over. And I’m talking about what happens to stable entrepreneurs. There is so much uncertainty and so much risk around practically everything you are doing. The level of stress that you’re under generally will magnify things incredible highs and unbelievable lows at whiplash speed and huge magnitude. Sound like fun?”

To read the full post, go to:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog and search for Cameron. Click on the title 'Harnessing Entrepreneurial Manic-Depression: Making the Rollercoaster Work for You."

You can also try here:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/10/03/harnessing-entrepreneurial-manic-depression-making-the-rollercoaster-work-for-you/

Learn more about Cameron at:

http://www.backpocketcoo.com/

Enjoy!!!

Real Resolutions = Steady Progress

As an entrepreneur, I am always setting goals. Some of them are created when I am wearing my rose colored glasses and I later have to admit that the goal was unrealistic.

Other goals end up in disappointment because, although I made progress towards it, I didn’t reach it. So I would give up.

Some I actually make and I celebrate!

In my quest for goal making, I think I have discovered the key to never being disappointed – measure progress, not the end result. It could be slow progress but at least celebrate some forward movement.

Here’s an example, some of you may have read in September that I committed to losing weight. I even spelled out my plan of eating and exercise. My weight was 203 and I wanted to be 180 by January 1st, 2009.

Well, I didn’t make it. So should I be sad? Guess what? I am not. You know why? I am 190! I lost 13 pounds and am pumped!

So there are two things to celebrate: 1) I didn’t gain anymore weight 2) I lost 13 pounds! I feel more energetic and I’ll bet my cholesterol went down. I still want to get to 180 and I will. But I’ll enjoy the rest of the journey instead of giving up because I didn’t make my goal, which was probably over-ambitious anyway.

Slow, steady, consistent progress is the way baby…

Remember the story of the hare and the tortoise?

Speaking of books, I had set another goal that I was going to read 100 books by 2009. I also promised to report to you what books I read and let you know my thoughts about them. I am counting books that I read the old fashioned way and also audio books. I figure that if the information gets in my head one way or another, it counts!

So two things - I have altered the goal. I changed it to 100 books by the end of 2010 (I took my rose colored glasses off and reset the goal). And, below are the books I have read.

1) The Knack: By Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham. I reported on this book on an earlier post and I highly recommended it.
2) YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger: Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet Oz. This book is awesome. I really enjoyed it because it gave dozens of incredible tips of things I could easily change in my life to be more healthy. I have implemented many of them and some of the tips are responsible for my weight loss.
3) Truman: by David McCullough. One of the best books I have ever read. Truman was an amazing man who never veered from his principles. His story is quite the inspiration and lesson of how to live an honorable life. Plus McCullough tells a story like few others could. He wrote “1776” which I read last year and I plan to read more of his books.
4) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: By Dr. John C. Maxwell. This was an audio book that I listened to a few years ago and just re-listened to last month. This book is the must for any leader that wants to continue leading and growing. Maxwell, while a very religious man, did not make this book overly spiritual, but rather more business based mixed with some good humor.

I am currently re-reading Victor Frankl’s “Mans Search for Meaning,” and also listening in my car to Stephen Covey’s “Principle Centered Leadership.”

I’ll report back soon on these!

Happy goals and remember, slow steady progress makes for long lasting habits and RESULTS!