You’re the one with the plan. The pitch. The optimism.
But some days?
You’re just trying to hold it together.
I’ve been there.
Smiling through team calls.
While silently worrying about payroll, and clients.
Pretending I had it under control — when I clearly didn’t.
Then I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, and something clicked.
Ben didn’t hide the fear.
He didn’t fake confidence.
He didn’t lead alone.
He had a coach.
A place to fall apart.
To zoom out.
To be real.
That book didn’t solve my problems. But it gave me permission:
- To stop pretending.
- To start processing.
- To lead without the mask.
Because leadership isn’t about being unshakeable.
It’s about staying centered when the ground shifts.
If you’re carrying too much right now—let’s talk.
Even the strongest leaders need support.
Especially the ones everyone counts on.
20 Grounding Habits for Hard Days
- Don’t react. Respond. Even a 10-sec pause helps.
- Say “I don’t know” when you don’t. Lead the search for clarity.
- Decide one thing today. Leave the rest for tomorrow.
- Write it down. Get thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
- Ask: “What’s the one thing that really matters right now?”
- Start your day with a calm ritual. Not Slack.
- Don’t confuse urgent with important.
- Normalize fear. Then choose courage anyway.
- Have one person you can be fully honest with.
- Never make major decisions on low sleep.
- Breathe slower. Then speak slower.
- Remind yourself: you’ve done hard things before.
- Speak last in the meeting. Let your team step up first.
- Protect your calendar like your mental health depends on it.
- You don’t have to hold it all alone. That’s what coaches are for.
- Label the pressure: Is it real, imagined, or legacy baggage?
- Keep a folder of wins. Read it when you doubt yourself.
- Ask: “What would this look like if it were easy?”
- Sleep on it. What feels cloudy today may feel simple tomorrow.
- Own the tone. If you’re chaotic, the team will be too.
Who Should Read This Book
The Hard Thing About Hard Things is for:
- Founders holding it all together (barely)
- CEOs navigating tough pivots or team chaos
- Leaders under pressure to perform, grow, and inspire
- Anyone who feels like everyone leans on them
Ben doesn’t sugarcoat startup life. He gives you tools to survive it.
Read Next
Deep Work → Multiply clarity and outcomes by reducing shallow work
The Lean Startup → Build fast, test faster, and learn even faster
Looking for a Place to Be Real?
My 1:1 Strategy Call is a space to zoom out, find clarity, and lead from your center.
- One power-packed hour.
- Multiple breakthroughs.
- Immediate impact.