The mud & the blood & the flood
I can’t remember what former boss used say to me,
I can’t remember what former boss used say to me,
“we’re in the mud and the blood and the flood”
but basically it means,
“the shit is hitting the fan”
which is exactly where you are sometimes in business. I characterize this to my team by saying,
“things are going to get harder before they get easier”
and in truth, who knows if they are going to get easier, because building a company is not easy. It’s hard by definition. And its hard for us right now.
But there are some important things to recognize that come along with being in the mud & the blood & the flood.
Character — It reveals character and it builds character. The people who are really in it together know it. They talk every day, they fix shit, they are deeply committed. Heck, we even had a group-hug gif show up on Slack today. It’s also easy to determine who people on the sidelines are. And as we get through the tunnel, the people who are in it together are building tremendous character and confidence that we can do it again.
Communication — There’s no time for bullshit. Things may be emotional, but when things are hard, its easier to cut through emotion that is ego-driven and work things out. I’ve found times of pressure actually lead to the most honest communication I’ve had with people.
Focus — It’s amazing how much having $2.95 in your bank account focuses you on how you’re going to make money. Focusing on what moves the needle and doing away with all else is actually a very freeing thing.
Be stressed not depressed — Stress is natural in these situations, making sure it is not all-consuming and staying healthy through diet, exercise, meditation and personal relationships is the key to not letting it become depression. Also, I find there’s no better way to de-stress myself than getting meaningful work done.
In times like this, my hope is that we can all maintain perspective. It doesn’t take much more than a walk around the streets of San Francisco on a cold and rainy day to remind me to have a profound sense of gratitude. I have the opportunity to work with some really amazing people building a company I care about. We’ll figure it out, and everything’s going to be OK.