When we, as parents,
hyper-empathize with our children,
the children’s lives
feel like our own.
Similarly,
When we, as founders,
hyper-empathize with our companies,
the companies’ lives
feel like our own.
So much so
that we’re willing to sacrifice our health
to keep them alive.
Sacrificing our health
to keep our company alive
can produce behaviors critical
to the well-being of our company
In its early stages of development.
But as our company develops
—as do our children—
some of our “sacrificial” behaviors
born out of care
can also stifle its development,
not to mention fuel our frustration,
resentment,
and disappointment,
as we can’t help but take everything personally,
when we hyper-empathize.