Happy Wednesday π
βRetirement is when you stop sacrificing today for an imaginary tomorrow. When today is complete, in and of itself, youβre retired.β β Naval Ravikant
Most people think being a founder is a relentless grind.
Society has led us founders to believe in a false trade-off...
That you have to pick between money and success OR happiness, health, and freedom.
But that's an illusion.
You can have both. Building a business should be about designing a life you're proud to live.
I call this Symbiotic Success.
Creating a business that fuels your dreams instead of draining them.
As a founder, your greatest asset is yourself. The healthier and happier you are, the more your business, relationships, and bank account thrive.
I learned this the hard way.
Like 72% of entrepreneurs, I've struggled with the emotional toll of building companies. The overwhelm, burnout, and isolation.
But over my journey, I learned how to be the architect of my own life.
Here are 5 of the habits I picked up along the way that will help you not just survive, but thrive as a founder.
Founder OS: Your Operating System for building a 7-figure business and extraordinary life
I created Founder OS to prove that anyone can build a profitable business while living a fulfilling life.
In it, I share systems to:
- Grow your audience rapidly with organic content
- Build a predictable lead-generation machine
- Convert followers to buyers with automated systems
- Scale to $1M/year and beyond without burning out
- Gain the freedom to do more of what you love
Founders running 6-,7-, and 8-figure businesses have already joined.
Grow together with us.
β>>> Apply for your Founder OS Clarity Consultationβ
But now, back to 5 habits to be happier as a founder:
5 habits to be happier (and wealthier) than 97% of founders
1. Journal for clarity
If you don't control your thoughts, they control you.
Journaling empowers you to:
β’ Process emotions
β’ Solve problems
β’ Gain self-awareness
Get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper daily.
Clarity precedes mastery.
2. Invest in yourself
Your personal development is a leading metric for your success.
As you grow, so does your capacity to serve the world.
β’ Read books
β’ Take courses
β’ Seek mentors
Never stop learning.
One of the best ways to build your journaling habit and invest in yourself is to write in public. If you want to learn how to write on LinkedIn, watch my recent video here: linktw.in/WoQchoβ
3. Create optimism through gratitude
Realistic optimism is the ultimate resilience.
Train your mind to focus on the:
β’ Possibilities, not limitations
β’ Lessons, not failures
β’ Journey, not destination
You do so by cultivating gratitude. After all, a grateful mind is a powerful mind.
Practice appreciating what you have daily, from the simple to the profound:
β’ Your breath
β’ Your opportunities
β’ Your loved ones
Gratitude keeps you grounded and positive through the roller coaster of entrepreneurship.
4. Prioritize your health
Your mind and body are your most precious resources. Protect them at all costs:
β’ Eat clean, whole foods
β’ Exercise every day
β’ Get 8+ hours of quality sleep
Investing in your health pays lifelong dividends.
Treat it like your #1 business priority.
5. Master essentialism
Essentialism is about discerning the vital few from the trivial many.
- What's the ONE project I should focus to 10X my leads?
- What's the ONE person I can call to 10X my business?
- What's the ONE course I should buy to accelerate my business?
Focusing on fewer things makes you more fulfilled and productive.
3 rules of thumb:
- Don't work on more than 3 projects
- Make "no" your default answer
- Set hard constraints for the opportunities you take on
Focus is today's most important skill. Master it to do more by doing less.
For more advice on this, read my book summary of Cal Newport's Slow Productivityβ
Embrace these 5 habits, and you won't just build a great business - you'll build an extraordinary life.
Have an incredible week, and I'll talk to you again Saturday.
Let's win together π₯
Matt
P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:
#1: If you want to learn more about building an extraordinary life as a founder, check out my YouTube video on how I gained 1.8M followers FASTβ
β#2: Book me as keynote speaker. In my talks, I share practical strategies and systems for audience growth, brand building, and automation.