When working harder becomes your only answer
How to notice a cycle of pressure, overwork and self-doubt, and choose a different next step.
By Rajiv Sankarlall · Updated
When something is not working, a founder's first response is often to add effort. Make more calls. Stay later. Take over the task. That response can be useful for a short stretch. It becomes harder to question when every difficult feeling leads to another hour of work.
I know what it is like to keep grinding while losing touch with myself. I put the company ahead of fun, personal practices and the time to ask what I actually wanted. More work did not answer those questions. It postponed them.
Write down the sequence
Think about a recent day when you felt overwhelmed. What happened first? Perhaps a deal stalled or a teammate challenged a decision. What did you tell yourself it meant? What did you do next? What did that response cost you later that day?
You might notice that uncertainty leads you to check messages, checking messages creates more tasks, and more tasks leave you feeling further behind. Treat this as an account of your experience, not a diagnosis or a universal explanation for burnout.
Find one place to interrupt it
You do not need to change the whole week at once. Choose one moment in that sequence where another action is possible. Before agreeing to a new commitment, ask what it will displace. Before taking a task back, ask whether the person needs a clearer decision or whether you are struggling to tolerate uncertainty.
For some founders, the useful next step is a conversation. For others, it is removing an obligation or asking for help. The right step depends on what is happening in your life, not on a standard routine.
Stop making every setback a verdict
A hard day does not tell you everything about your ability or your future. Separate the event from the meaning you gave it. “The prospect said no” and “I am not capable of building this” are different statements. Which one do you have evidence for?
If your experience is affecting basic daily functioning, bring it to a qualified healthcare professional. For questions about choices, confidence and priorities, founder coaching provides space to examine the pattern and act differently. You can also use one point better to choose a realistic change rather than another demand on yourself.