Don’t Measure Your Self-Esteem On A Success Scale
“When I became a father, my company was just getting started.
I was happy with the new little man who appeared in my life, and fell in love with him. But I still worried: if my company becomes successful, will I really have to choose between business and family?
But I misplaced the accents
To become a successful businessman, I needed to have something other than work. Something that could become the basis of my identity. And it doesn’t have to be kids or family. In fact, you don’t need to tie your self-esteem to professional success or failure.
If you need to be successful at work in order to have confidence in yourself, you are unlikely to be ready to play big and risk important things. Ironically, this will only keep you from succeeding. Of course, I will not advise you to have a child before starting your own business. Just make sure your personality and self-worth depend on something more mundane than the success of your company. Again, ironically, in order to set yourself up for a risky move, you need to maximize this risk.”
Ben Siegelman, co-founder and CEO of LightStep, a microservices application company for clients like Lyft, Under Armor, Medium, GitHub, Twilio, etc.
Actively seek criticism and listen to it
“I ask my colleagues for constructive criticism every day. This allows me to constantly grow above myself and improve, and at the same time help people around me in this. I also try to talk to at least one client every day. This helps me better understand customer needs and find opportunities to improve service.”
Garrett Lord, CEO of Handshake, a student career development association. The association unites 14 million students and young professionals in 50 states. More than a thousand companies are registered in the database of employers of the association.
Think positive and adapt
“Master the art of capturing negative thoughts while creating a positive mindset. Repeat this exercise three times in a row, several times during the day. This technique helps me maintain a positive and creative mindset. Likewise, when I encounter problems, I try to immediately accept them as a reality so that I can adapt, correct actions and continue to move forward.
Joshua Kreutzer, CEO of Channel Bakers, an advertising agency partnered with the Amazon platform. The agency has over $0.5 billion in online sales. Channel Bakers clients include Samsung and Logitech
Find a hobby to keep fit
“There is always stress and frequent travel in the life of a company leader. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor your health. I have very little free time, and I often have to travel the world, but I still play tennis every weekend.
As partners, I choose people much younger and better than me, so as not to relax. Even if after the flight I have jet lag. I also make sure to participate in national tennis tournaments and local leagues to play at the highest possible level. It keeps me from being lazy and forces me to train both on and off the court. It doesn’t have to be tennis. I think you can choose any competitive sport.”
Dion Joannou, CEO of Accedian, a valuation company whose clients include 18 global network operators: T-Mobile, Telefonica, Cox Communications, SK Telecom, etc.
Turn off your smartphones
“The best ideas come to me during my morning and evening bike rides. This is an opportunity to be here and now, without being distracted by work or other activities. This is the time for the flight of creative thought. It also allows me to switch between work and home more efficiently. If you commute to work by public transport, try not to stare at your smartphone. Or don’t turn on the radio when you’re driving. Better let your subconscious steer, and maybe it will lead you to something interesting.
Bill Magnuson, co-founder and CEO of Braze, a customer experience platform with over 700 brands.
Find a hobby outside of work
“I love my job. She would take up all my time if I let her. But since then, I realized that I become a better specialist if I learn something new and find interesting things to do in other areas of my life. I have been gardening for the last two years. I’ve never had time for this before. I like being close to nature.
And what a pleasure it is to watch what you plant yourself grow! This activity forces me to slow down, be patient, and at the same time gives me some time to clear my mind and make room for new ideas. Always find time for something that gives you joy, even in the middle of a crazy and busy work week.
Holly Tekko, founder and CEO of Natalist, a women’s health startup. The company makes fertility products, has secured $5 million in funding, and supplies the popular Get Pregnant Bundle to hundreds of customers.