In the beginning when you starting up, you will be scared of whether the idea will work. As you grow, you will be scared of losing what you've built. And at scale, you will be scared of irrelevance, competition, and the weight of expectations.
If someone tells you, “It’s only scary in the early days”, they’re either lying, lucky, or haven’t been through enough cycles. Fear is not a phase. It’s part of the job.
There’s no safety net. No sabbatical. No social security in entrepreneurship. So, step one is accepting the fear. Don’t wait for it to go away. It won’t. Learn to operate with it.
And then if you think raising money will solve your fear. It will not. In fact, funding often will add more fear. Now you're accountable because you have burn. And your decisions are being watched, measured, and judged. You’re not just building a company but managing other people’s money, expectations, and reputations. Money will buy you time, not peace.
If you're building something right now and you're scared, its good. It means you're alive to what matters. Just don’t let the fear fool you into thinking you’re not ready. The fear doesn’t go away. But with time, you get better at walking with it.
The world may not see you yet. But you’re already doing the hardest part of showing up despite the fear. And that’s what founders are made of.
Good luck friends!
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