The Emotional Reality of Entrepreneurship, and How to Manage It

Research & Sources / Entrepreneur Growth

On a rollercoaster, the photos are always taken at the top, with arms raised and big smiles. Nobody takes pictures of the stomach-dropping moments on the way down. Entrepreneurship is the same. On social media you see the launches, the wins and the awards. The sleepless nights, the cash worries and the self-doubt rarely make it into a post.

The ups and downs are real

Building a business brings intense highs: the first client, the first hire, a big contract. And it brings deep lows: losing a key client, a co-founder leaving, a month where payroll is uncertain. Often both happen in the same week.

That is not a sign that something is wrong with you. It is the nature of the ride.

What research shows

Michael Freeman and colleagues studied entrepreneurs and their families. Entrepreneurs in the study reported mental-health conditions more often than comparison participants.¹ The pressure, uncertainty and responsibility leave marks.

Loneliness plays a big role. Thomas Saporito wrote in Harvard Business Review about survey results showing that about half of CEOs experience loneliness, and most feel it hurts their performance.² Entrepreneurs often have even fewer people to share their worries with.

And when stress is chronic and not managed, it can turn into burnout, which the World Health Organization describes as exhaustion, mental distance from work and reduced effectiveness.³

Managing the ride

Name what is happening. “I’m worried about cash this month” is easier to handle than a vague cloud of stress. Naming feelings takes some of their power.

Separate yourself from the business. A bad month is a bad month for the company, not a verdict on your worth.

Talk to people who understand. Other founders, a mentor or a thinking partner. Social connection is not a luxury; research by Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues links strong relationships to better health and longer life.⁴

Protect the basics. Sleep, movement, time with family, time away from the phone. They are the first things to go and the most important to keep.

Build resilience as a skill. The American Psychological Association describes resilience as something people can learn and strengthen, including through relationships and self-care.⁵

When to get professional help

A thinking partner and peer support help with pressure, decisions and direction. They are not a replacement for medical or psychological care. If low mood, anxiety or exhaustion last for weeks or affect daily life, talk to a doctor or a qualified mental-health professional.

What this means for you this week

• Write down the three things weighing on you most right now.
• Share one of them with someone you trust.
• Protect one evening completely free from work.
• Notice your sleep for a week and adjust one thing.

The rollercoaster has drops. You don’t have to ride it alone.

Sources

1. Freeman, M. A., Staudenmaier, P. J., Zisser, M. R. & Andresen, L. A. (2019). The prevalence and co-occurrence of psychiatric conditions among entrepreneurs and their families. Small Business Economics, 53(2), 323-342. doi.orgEntrepreneurs in the sample reported mental-health conditions more often than comparison participants.
2. Saporito, T. J. (2012). It’s Time to Acknowledge CEO Loneliness. Harvard Business Review. hbr.orgReports RHR International survey results: about half of CEOs experience loneliness in the role, and most of them say it hinders their performance.
3. World Health Organization (2019). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”. who.intBurnout defined as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed: exhaustion, distance from one’s job and reduced efficacy.
4. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B. & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. doi.orgAcross 148 studies, people with stronger social relationships had a markedly higher likelihood of survival.
5. American Psychological Association. Resilience. apa.orgResilience as a process of adapting to difficulty that can be learned and strengthened, including through relationships and self-care.