How do you handle the stress and uncertainty of starting and running a business?

The stress and uncertainty of starting and running a business can be overwhelming, but there are steps that you can take to help. One common approach is to create goals and milestones for yourself each week or month, so that you have something to work towards. When things get tough, remind yourself of your objectives and remember why it is worth it to continue moving forward. Be sure also to establish healthy communication habits with your team members; if something isn't working out, open up about what's going on so that everyone can make the necessary adjustments. And finally, keep a positive attitude no matter what! This will help you remain motivated throughout the ups and downs of business ownership.

Here are some things I can think of: 1. Prioritize: Take some time to clearly identify what’s most important and allocate your resources accordingly. 2. Break down tasks: Tackle large projects by breaking them into smaller, achievable tasks. This will make them seem less daunting and make it easier to focus on one at a time. 3. Take breaks: Make sure to take breaks throughout the day to clear your head, refocus, and stay motivated. 4. Talk to others: Reach out to your network and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Talking to other entrepreneurs can help you feel less alone and may provide valuable insights. 5. Practice self-care (VERY IMPORTANT): Make sure to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising. 6. Create a plan: Create a detailed plan to map out your goals and strategies. This will help you stay focused and on track.

I would break it down into two main parts: 1. Focus on what's at hand. People love saying "see the bigger picture", but I've noticed it seems to be worse for starting a business. "Seeing the bigger picture" forces you to consider all the areas that might impact your business negatively that are in reality, not much of an issue. "Seeing the bigger picture" is really important when you start out, since you're trying to scan the market and determine demand, but it gets less productive as you're actually working on getting the MVP out. So focus should be put on building your product and consistently posting to various communities to build up support before launch rather than focusing on the far future, other ideas, competition, or minutiae. 2. Take care of yourself. This goes without saying, and is especially important if you have a day job as well. Make sure to get frequent exercise, eat right, and to be with your family. I, and many others, will say they "work" on their business every waking hour 7 days a week. However, the reality is that deep, focused, work actually makes up a small fraction of that. And that's ok and to be expected (shallow work isn't necessarily bad, we can't fire all cylinders every hour every day). For example, I consider commenting on product hunt and indiehackers to be "work" since it's promoting my startup, but it's actually very low intensity and can be quite enjoyable. If you're curious to see more of my process building in public, feel free to follow my twitter or join my product's discord (all links in bio).

It can be challenging to deal with the stress and uncertainty of starting and running a business, but there are many ways to cope. One way is to set realistic goals for yourself and make sure that you are regularly measuring your progress. This will help you stay motivated and on track, even when things get tough. Additionally, find someone who you can trust to tell you the truth about your business - no matter how bad it might seem - so that you can make informed decisions. And lastly, take frequent breaks in order to recharge your batteries, both mentally and physically.