As the founder of a coworking space I have the best seat in the house to watch entrepreneurs achieve success. Some start with small goals and build over time. Others take big leaps and somehow land on their feet. They can even make it look easy. I see a mix of equal parts of courage, intelligence and grit.
But sometimes there’s a high cost to pursuing your dreams.
The reality is that entrepreneurs juggle many roles and face countless setbacks. A young entrepreneur recently confessed, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but some days I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. It all feels so exhausting and lonely." Her confession stopped me short.
It’s incredibly common for entrepreneurs to be exhausted, have imposter syndrome and feel lonely. But we rarely discuss this side of entrepreneurship - we just try to bottle it all up, and it’s not healthy.
It's time to STOP saying, “I probably shouldn’t tell you this…” and start sharing our stories. We need to let others know - you’re not alone!
Together we can fight the stigma of mental health struggles for entrepreneurs. We can raise awareness about the difficulties that entrepreneurs face and normalize the emotions so commonly experienced. We can build solid networks for founders to share their burdens and celebrate their victories large and small.
This May, for National Mental Health Awareness month, join me in making a difference by supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs!
Below is a great collection of articles, videos and podcasts to help entrepreneurs be proactive and manage your mental wellness.
Articles:
The 7 Mental Health Essentials (for Entrepreneurs) That You Might Have Forgotten
Proactive Mental Wellness: key to success in the midst of entrepreneurial endeavors
Mental Health Challenges Associated with Entrepreneurship and How to Overcome Them
Unplugging as an Entrepreneur
Video’s:
Entrepreneurship & Mental Health | TechStars 4-Part Documentary
The Stigma App: Stories of Hope for Founders
Podcasts:
The Anxious Achiever
Mental Health for Startup Founders & CEOs | Founder Playlist