Subverting the Idea That a Positive Attitude Leads to Success

Last week I spoke to a friend that was in the middle of taking a start-up company to the next level. I have been through this growth stage many times before myself, and was familiar with the challenges before her. When I asked if she was enjoying her work, she responded with a very honest, “Not at all.” She went on to explain that she was overwhelmed, doubting a lot of her decisions, and could not yet see a light at the end of the tunnel. She was shocked when I responded with a very enthusiastic, “Good!”

In my experience, a positive attitude is not going to get a business off of the ground. Most successful entrepreneurs I know are pessimistic, stressed out, and exhausted. I see a lot of advice urging people to look on the brightside and visualize what they want...but I have never seen that type of outlook translate to success in the startup sphere. 

The thing is, growing a business is not fun because it is not easy. It is challenging and oftentimes all-consuming. If someone had asked me at the beginning of any of my ventures if I was having fun, I would have absolutely told them no. I was too focused on my unit economics, suppliers, recruiting, market need, and 8,000 other things to have any fun. In every single case I put my head down and powered through tough decisions and roadblocks. I wasn’t thinking positively, I was just thinking about what I had to do next. Now, that is the attitude I look for when I am betting on whether or not someone will be a success. If I had a choice between the “think positive” entrepreneur and the basket case, I would put my money on the basket case every time. 

Remember that there are no peaks without valleys. There is no happiness without depression and no satisfaction without stress. If you can get comfortable with the idea that some valleys are worth it for the glory of the upcoming peak, then you will have what it takes when the road gets rough and the path ahead is not clear. Do not delude yourself into thinking that you need to be enjoying yourself 100% of the time. A positive attitude will not lead to success - hard work, dedication, and grit lead to success. So don’t take your eye off of the ball and get back to work.