Hard time is normal, says Shaer Hassan, founder, and CEO of Nascenia, and he is spot on. Entrepreneurship is a roller-coaster that takes you through relentless ups and downs. Most entrepreneurs experience extreme stress and at times, self-doubt.
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, recently tweeted that he goes through daily ups and downs and has a bipolar problem. I personally know an entrepreneur who told me that he has a bipolar problem and regularly deals with attacks.
The psychological cost of building a business from scratch is quite high and the topic is getting increasing attention from researchers as well as the community of entrepreneurs. However, people often develop strategies to deal with the stress and the daily challenge of building a business that helps them carry through the difficult time.
In our interviews with founders and business professionals, we regularly ask how they deal with stress and difficult challenges that come with the territory which often leads to interesting discussions and ideas.
Here are two such strategies to deal with stress from Ashraf Bin Taj, Managing Director of IDC and Shaer Hassan, CEO of Nascenia.
Ashraf Bin Taj, Co-founder, and Managing Director, IDC on dealing with stress:
"You can reduce stress by design. For instance, if you plan things well and execute them properly your source of stress would automatically reduce by fifty percent. That said, there are things that we can’t predict or prepare for.
When I’m under pressure, I pray. Prayer has incredible power to heal us. I also believe in the power of blessings of parents. This sounds old school but this is something that happened to me. I share with my wife and close people whatever the reason for the stress and seek assistance.
When my team is facing a problem, I spend more time with them addressing and solving the problem.
It is never a good idea to be conclusive of anything. There will be challenges and difficulties. That is the nature of life. In the face of a challenge, we should try to get through it instead of looking for a distraction or avoiding it. I actively resist any idea of giving in to despair, instead, I put myself into work."
Read our long-form interview with Ashraf Bin Taj on his journey, IDC, and more here.
Taking action is the most effective antidote to every challenge and obstacle. That said, you might not feel like working at times. I try to be patient and continue working regardless of my mood. Perseverance is the most important yet often underrated quality in entrepreneurship.
Shaer Hassan, Co-founder, and CEO, Nascenia on dealing with stress:
"Hard times come and that is normal. There are times when things don’t follow your expectation. There are things that are beyond our control. When I’m down, I try to contain it within myself and not allow it to affect my work and co-workers. I also share with and seek assistance from my family members and co-founders. I pray. I try not to get discouraged.
Taking action is the most effective antidote to every challenge and obstacle. That said, you might not feel like working at times. I try to be patient and continue working regardless of my mood. Perseverance is the most important yet often underrated quality in entrepreneurship."
Read our wonderful long-form interview with Shaer Hassan here.
It is never a good idea to be conclusive of anything. There will be challenges and difficulties. That is the nature of life. In the face of challenge, we should try to get through it instead of looking for a distraction or avoiding it. I actively resist any idea of giving in to despair, instead, I put myself into work.
Photo by Olya /Voloshka on Unsplash
Originally published on 17 February 2020. Updated on 30 June 2023.
