Life’s Work

When we lose
our startup.

Many stories
arise.

One
is that we
have failed.

At what exactly?

Just because
that company
was not the company
with which you achieved
what you wanted to achieve,
it doesn’t mean
there will be no other company
with which
to do so.

The loss of your startup
does not equal
the loss
of your life’s work.

In fact,
it may equal
the gain
of the knowledge required
to do your life’s work.

The question may be
what
your life’s work
is
and are you willing
to continue
it.

Fast vs Far

“Do you know
what my co-founder told me?.”
the founder asked,
rhetorically.

If you want to go fast,
go alone.
If you want to go far,
go together.”
he smirked,
before continuing.

“He doesn’t seem to realize
that there are few times
when I feel more alone
than when I’m together
with him.”

As Doth a Streetlight

photo_2020-03-20 23.56.54
“Lights On” / Seung Chan Lim (Slim) / March 20, 2020 / North Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL

 

As doth
a streetlight,
being there
for each other
with their lights on,
with nary a guarantee
of the future,
we
will get through this.

 

p.s: Economically speaking, startups are being hit more seriously than I had expected. Thus, until May 18th, I will be providing free-of-charge executive coaching sessions to all Founding CEOs with the heavy responsibility of making payroll for 5 or more employees. Click here to sign up. Feel free to share it with those in need.

Self-Image vs Identity

Our identity,
is who we are.

No matter what anyone says,
we are
who we are.

Our self-image
is created,
when we let others
or even ourselves
dictate
our identity.

“You’re the athletic one
and your sister
is the smart one.”

“I’m not good
at math.”

​Men don’t cry.”​

May we not confuse
our identity
with our
self-image.

After Love or Hate?

One
of the most common emotions
founders discover
within themselves
is vengefulness.

In the presence
of vengefulness
it’s sometimes worth asking
whether our time
is best spent
on what we hate
vs
what we love.

Because sometimes
we may only have enough time
to choose
between
supporting
who or what we love
vs
hurting
who or what we hate.

Except
the lack of time
isn’t always obvious
until we explore
the question.

In fact,
we may not even realize
that we are experiencing
vengefulness
until we realize empathy
with ourselves.

My Fault

There are times
when it seems so clear
that the fault
is ours.

I raised my child poorly.

I lead my company to bankruptcy.

I failed to support my spouse.

This often happens
when there are two things
equally clear
if you’re willing
to see them.

First,
is that you’re someone
who is willing
to take
responsibility.

Second,
is that you have
emotional needs.

Perhaps the need
to be forgiven.

Upon seeing these two things
clearly,
may you learn the choice
to take responsibility
for fulfilling
your own emotional needs
as well as worrying
about the emotional needs
of others.

It’s not You. It’s me.

It’s not you.
It’s me.

The person I’m speaking to
in conversation,
that is.

It’s true.
I sometimes speak
with my past self
instead of you,
the person
in front of me.

I know
this can confuse
sometimes even anger
or frustrate
you.

When that happens,
I want you to know
that it’s not you,
it’s me.

It’s just that,
the pain
of my past experience
is simply too much
to bear.

So although
I know
that as a leader
I must do better.

There are times
when it feels
as if I must proclaim
—No, shout—
in order to remind myself
to never experience
the same pain
ever again.

To Re-Spect

The word respect
is made of
re and spect.

Re as in “anew,”
Spect as in “to look.”

Interestingly enough,
a popular Korean phrase
“다시 보다,”
—which literally means
“to look again,”—
figuratively means
“to see something
or someone
anew
due to the unexpected revelation
of something worthy
of appreciation.”

p.s: Thanks to Connie Crawford, for having been the first person to have directed my attention to the roots of the word “respect,” back in 2011.