Why I'm Grateful For the Stress of Running a Business
Zack AllenMay 6, 20262:03
The hard stretches are what make the good ones worth it.
I think the stress of running a business is what makes it fulfilling in the end. It's the old idea that you enjoy the highs because you've lived through the lows, and I've found it applies to business too.
Over the past few weeks I've had more stress than I've had in years, some from life in general and some compounded by the business. Through it, I keep grounding myself with one reminder: this is what makes it worth it.
Easy wins wouldn't mean as much
If everything went smoothly, with a successful business, money flowing in and no problems along the way, I don't think I'd cherish it the way I do.
The same goes for my life outside work. If I'd been born into money, I don't think I'd appreciate it the way I do now. I won't pretend I came from a poor family. But the financial freedom I've built above that baseline, I'm extremely grateful for, because of the hours, energy and focus that went into it.
"This is what hard looks like"
I think it was Alex Hormozi who said something like: you knew this life you chose would be hard, and this is what hard looks like.
That's a great reminder for me when I'm dealing with issues on my team, or with the unknowns that come with traveling. People sometimes feel sorry for me. I remind them, and myself, that this is the life I chose. These circumstances are the outcome of the decisions that got me here. If I want the benefits of this life, I have to deal with the downsides that come with it.
Savor the good stretches
In stressful times, it's easy to forget the stretches where everything was going my way. So I try to savor those moments when they come, when things are going well and I feel energized.
That way, when I'm in a low stretch, I know there's something on the other side of it.
Transcript
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I think the stress that comes with running a business is what makes it fulfilling in the end. It's like the old adage that you enjoy the highs because you've experienced the lows. I think applies as well to my business life. Over the past few weeks, I've had more stressful times than I've had in recent years. Also, from just like a general life perspective that is compounded by the business. And I always ground myself with the reminder that this is what makes it worth it.
If I had no issues along the way, everything went super smooth, successful business, money flowing in, everything I ever wanted, no issues to get there, then I don't think I would cherish it as much as I do. And I think that's been true for my life as well. If I was born into money, I don't think I would have the same appreciation that I do for it now. I'm not going to sit here and act like I came from a poor family, but the amount of financial freedom I've achieved over the baseline, I've become extremely grateful for because of the hours and the time and the energy and the focus that went into creating that for myself.
And I think it was Horoszi that said this basically that you knew it was going to be hard this life that you chose and this is what hard looks like. I think that's a great reminder for me when I'm experiencing issues with my team or when I'm, you know, got like travel unknowns, people will feel sorry for me and have have pity on me and I remind them and myself like this is the life that I chose.
This is a circumstance. This is an outcome of the decisions I've made to get me here. And in order for me to live the life that I have chosen to and experience the benefits, I have to deal with the downsides that come with it. When I'm in these stressful times, it's easy to forget the times where I didn't have stress and where everything was going my way for that period of time.
I think it's a great reminder for myself to savor those moments when I do have them of things going well and I feel very energetic. So when I'm experiencing those low moments, I know that there is something on the other
