It's optimism, not cheerleading
When starting a new business, or product, or anything, who you start it with is ultimately more important than what you start.
That old knight from Indiana Jones said it best. Choose wisely. Man, I enjoyed that movie as a kid.
I love starting new stuff. Whether it’s a business, a product, or a hobby, I love it. I really enjoy doing it with people.
It’s usually hard, and messy, and uncomfortable. I like that. No one ever made a good pot of gumbo without a stain on their shirt. The mess is where the stories are made and all the memories I tell my son about involve mess. I doubt I’ll remember all the times I went to bed at 9 pm on a Friday night, but those random trips to NOLA for a Saints playoff game I’ll never forget. I’m not sure if chicks dig scars like Shane Falco said (another great movie), but the scars are what make it worth it.
If you have the right team with you, losing is impossible. Success or not, you create a bond. No org chart, or roadmap, or job title will matter when you are in the trenches. When lightning strikes, you create esprit de corps. You should seek this at all costs.
But boy, it’s hard, very hard. So get some help.
Make sure you focus on the right team first. It is what makes all the difference and while there are a variety of combinations that can work, from my experience it usually comes down to spirit. But it’s not the spirit that you are thinking of.
Be an athlete, not a cheerleader
All great athletes have a short memory or a short career. Mistakes will happen often and if they dwell on them, they will never pull the trigger again. They have to fail, learn, and be incredibly optimistic that the next time they do something, it will work.
The last part of that is key when starting something new. You have to believe it will work. If you do not believe that good things will happen if you try, you are a pessimist. Most pessimists I know who are successful were either a) lucky b) smart or c) a former optimist.
But if you are a pessimist and are killing it, more power to you I suppose. You may even know a few of these people yourselves and that is great. Pessimists however rarely belong on a team, so let them be. Do not feed a pessimist in the wild, they will never leave you alone.
It’s not about only surrounding yourself with idealistic people - that is not great either. Having a few pragmatic people on your side will help keep you in check. But there is a big difference between being an optimistic pragmatic and a pessimist buzz kill.
After all, if you really need negativity, just wait a few seconds after you start. Life will throw plenty of negative crap at you once you start, trust me.
So who do you look for?
You need people that are willing to fail, but are convinced they will not. Everyone talks a big game about being willing to fail, but if they have no expectation of success, it is hollow.
You need people that are willing to risk things that matter to them. Everyone values time, money, family, and pride but they put very different weights on each. Find people who are okay with risking what matters to them, not you. It’s not commendable to risk things you do not care about.
The people you want should call, or email, or text you, in the middle of the night with a good idea. They should talk about it while watching football, or while on a road trip. They should love the entire process.
They need to be okay with sweeping the floors.
Find people who understand that you do not have to trade-off short-term realism for long-term optimism. It has to be both. You have to think long-term, plan for mid-term, but act very short term. Avoid paralysis by analysis but also remember there is a forest behind those trees.
Find people who will challenge you to be a better version of yourself. You want people who will fight for their opinion, but do it with love. You want people who are confident enough that they are right and wise enough to realize they are not. Surround yourself with truth seekers.
Life is short, you are dying this very minute, and you are about two generations from no one ever remembering you. It’s sobering, humbling, and freeing all at the same time. If you are going to go down (and you will), you just as soon find some good people to go down with you. Maybe, just maybe, you will get lucky and someone will write a story about you.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.- Dylan Thomas