To: Cameron Russelle
Sunday August 6th, 2023
—
“I’m sitting here trying to do my weekly review, I go on Instagram, I get emotionally thrown off… I see the likes of other young successful entrepreneurs.
“Am I enough?”
“Am I doing this right?”
“Do I have what it takes?”
I feel alone right now. Separated from everyone but YOU! I’m here with you. We can do it! I love you.
You’re impacting MEN!! Perfectly? NO!
BUT you are! DO MORE!!! Take action! LFG!!!
Love,
Cameron, your big brother"
—
This perfectly illustrates the battle of emotions I constantly face as an early stage solo-founder.
It’s not easy a lot of the times, I’ll be honest.
But it’s beautiful.
It’s the most fulfilling journey’s I’ve been on so far.
I share this for 2 reasons:
As I write this, I’ve just gone through another wave of emotions reflective of this journal entry to myself.
So I felt it’s a timely opportunity to share my raw thoughts on this topics.
To be clear, this isn’t a cry for sympathy.
Paradoxically I love this. I’ve programmed myself to love the pain, uncertainty and hard work that comes with starting a business.
I’m in full acceptance of the price I must pay to make my goals a reality. I’m here with open arms.
This memo is to offer 2 perspectives to do the same. Accept the mental & emotional challenges. Embrace them. Use them as fuel. Learn to love them.
My current belief is pain, uncertainty, and hard work will never go away, especially if you’re aiming to build a business from ZERO… or doing anything great.
“BRING IT ON!!!”
This is a mantra I’ve stole from Phil Stutz inside his book ‘The Tools’ which comes from ‘The Reversal Of Desire’
The idea is at the core of what I’ve alluded to.
Not just accepting that we will inevitably face pain, uncertainty, and hard work, but learning to LOVE IT.
It’s something I use often when faced with difficulty in my business (and life really). I’ll scream it in my head → “BRING IT ON!!!”
Followed by: “Obstacles make me strong!!”
There’s something so liberating in knowing the harsh reality I’m faced with currently is actually an opportunity for me to grow and learn.
I’ve worked to embed this perspective into my identity and the ROI is priceless.
Just think about what this could do: If you truly were to see nothing as a block and everything as a way to grow, a blessing.
You’re invincible.
That’s the way I’ve come to feel. and I encourage you to do the same.
Now easier said than done. But if you’re serious about building a business without stressing yourself to death, a worthwhile commitment to make.
For the greats of both the modern and ancient worlds have displayed the payoff of this commitment:
Marcus Aurelius & the stoics come to mind here. The stoic philosophy spews adversity as advancement of oneself
The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way. — Marcus Aurelius
A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it — Marcus Aurelius
If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now — Marcus Aurelius
“The true man is revealed in difficult times. So when trouble comes, think of yourself as a wrestler whom God, like a trainer, has paired with a tough young buck. For what purpose? To turn you into Olympic-class material.” — Epictetus
“What would have become of Hercules, do you think, if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar – and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges? Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.” — Epictetus
“Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own inner resources. The trails we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths. Prudent people look beyond the incident itself and seek to form the habit of putting it to good use. On the occasion of an accidental event, don’t just react in a haphazard fashion: remember to turn inward and ask what resources you have for dealing with it. Dig deeply. You possess strengths you might not realize you have. Find the right one. Use it.” — Epictetus
“Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men” — Seneca
Move from theory to practice now with these 2 perspectives.
Where in your business or life are you being faced with pain, uncertainty or hard work yet resenting it, wishing it was easier or not challenging you?
Flip the switch, today.
With LOVE + GRATITUDE,
Cameron, Your big brother
Ps. Is this topic of emotional control valuable for you? If so, could you just reply ‘yes’ - I have more to unpack but unsure how this would sit with you.
