"Self-doubt, feelings of failure, fear, and fatalism
- they're residing in the shadows,
even when I'm surrounded by wins."
– Anonymous business leader*
All founders face anxiety, but the pressures of entrepreneurship can make introverts even more anxious since they are predisposed.
This post covers how anxiety affects founders, their particular challenges, and ways to function better.
This post is part of a series on introverted startup leaders.**
How You May Experience Anxiety
Anxiety can show up in ways you may not recognize.
Physically, you may be unable to relax, get tired quickly, and have difficulty sleeping. You also may get headaches, nausea, and/or muscle aches.
Emotionally, you may experience increased irritability without a clear cause, impacting your relationship with stakeholders.
Mentally, you may have trouble focusing and worry excessively about everyday decisions and events than warranted.
Anxious founders may be haunted by a pervasive and constant fear of failing.
Despite having serious anxiety, founders may seem calm and successful.
Introverts May Have More Anxiety
The pressures of entrepreneurship can make introverts even more anxious since they are already prone to anxiety.
Socially, introverts are highly sensitive to external stimuli—like noisy crowds—and need quiet time alone to recharge, a luxury many founders lack.
I experience social anxiety at large, crowded, and loud events. While I'm fine initially, I eventually feel a strong urge to leave.
I manage better by arriving early when it's quieter and less crowded. Then, I prefer one-on-one conversations to shouting over the noise in small groups. Finally, I find that taking short breaks—checking my phone or stepping outside—helps me escape the cacophony. These strategies help me manage my anxiety and enjoy the event more.
Afterward, I need time to decompress with a quiet solo activity before moving on to my next commitment.
Cognitively, introverts process experiences deeply and thoroughly, which may also lead to overthinking and worry.
Emotionally, they tend to be more attuned to negative feelings.
Notably, many introverts don't experience excessive anxiety, and some extroverts may develop anxiety disorders.
The Anxiety Paradox
Being a founder is full of stress. How can you know if your anxiety is caused by your work or being predisposed to the emotion?
One indication is being anxious when it seems unwarranted, e.g. you feel nervous before every meeting, even if everyone works well together.
Recognize the tradeoffs that come with anxiety. For instance, a brief period before a big event may be useful, while constant nervousness is detrimental.
As a founder, you have to decide how much anxiety is necessary.
Ideally, you can mitigate the negative effects while retaining the advantages.
How to Face the Anxiety
These steps can help to address the cause and symptoms:
Call it Out. Describe your anxiety (in writing or talking). When you can name your enemy, you gain some agency immediately.
Peer Support. Join founder groups to gain practical advice and normalize your feelings.
Mindfulness. Learn meditation, breathwork, and yoga to face anxiety and reduce symptoms.
Balance. Spend time with friends, hobbies, and interests to refresh and get a new perspective on problems.
Health. Invest in exercise, sleep, and a healthy diet to improve your wellness and offset feelings of doubt.
These tips may be particularly useful with ongoing, low-level anxiety. If none of these actions will be enough, engage a professional to reach a new level.
Key Takeaway: By recognizing the signs and impact of anxiety and determining strategies to improve well-being, you can focus on business success better.
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90% of startups fail. Build Scale Grow solves problems for fast-growing startups, specializing in Social Impact, EdTech, and Health Tech and focusing on Introverted Founders.
This post was written by me with AI editing. The image is AI generated.
** Premise: This series sets out to surface being an introvert across selling, networking, leading, facing anxiety, and finding happiness. To be clear, there is a range of introverts and extroverts facing various stressors. Hopefully, these posts offer something to everyone.
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