IT WAS TOUGH WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THAT BUILDING A COMPANY IS NOT THE SAME AS HACKING AND BUILDING A PRODUCT.
THAT YOU CAN’T JUST TRY AN EXPERIMENT WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE INVOLVED. AS IF THEY WERE JUST ANOTHER A/B TEST.
IT TOOK OTHERS TO HELP ME REALIZE THAT.
IT TOOK THE STRENGTH OF THEIR EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO ME BEFORE I REALIZED THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.
THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THIS IS NOT ABOUT FIXING ANY INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM.
THIS IS ABOUT CHANGING YOUR MINDSET.
I STARTED ASKING -- WHO AM I WHEN I AM NOT BEING “THE FOUNDER?”
AND I FINALLY ALLOWED MYSELF TO VOCALIZE FEELINGS LIKE “I AM ANGRY…I AM SCARED.”
I BEGAN TO FORMALIZE EMOTIONS IN MY MIND.
THAT MOMENT WAS A COMPASS –
BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE SOCIETAL NORMS AROUND SUCCESS AND FAME
YOU THINK IT’S MONEY AND FAME THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, AT FIRST.
AND YOU KEEP GOING AND GOING, AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON GOING.
I’M NOT TRYING TO BE JADED ABOUT IT. MONEY AND FAME ARE A GATEWAY.
BUT DO KEEP TELLING YOURSELF - "THIS IS NOT IT."
THERE’S ANOTHER LAYER.
CLICK FOR LEO'S FULL TALK FROM THE NEXT WEB CONFERENCE NYC