The Eye of the Storm: Remaining Calm When the World Is Spinning
Things are changing faster than ever right now.
As I've been speaking with founders lately, I've noticed a common thread in our conversations: a profound sense of tumult and chaos. And it's happening at every level.
The startup journey itself is inherently chaotic – the roller coaster of euphoria to terror that comes with fundraising challenges, customer issues, finding product-market fit, and managing a growing team.
Add to that the macro environment: a new administration bringing dramatic policy shifts, market volatility wiping out trillions in value overnight, and of course, the AI revolution accelerating the pace of change beyond what most of us can fully comprehend.
It feels like standing in a storm that's only intensifying.
And what I'm about to share might feel counterintuitive, but it's exactly what's allowing the most successful founders to not just weather this storm, but harness its energy to fuel growth in these arduous times.
The Reality We're Facing
I'm not willing to bet that this chaos will slow down and stabilize in our lifetime. It might – but that's not where I'd place my chips.
Because, just as we navigate business challenges, we're simultaneously dealing with aging parents, relationship issues, health crises of people we care about, and the growing realization that there's no finish line where challenges simply stop happening.
The chaos isn't going away. The pace of change isn't slowing down. And waiting for external conditions to stabilize before you can find peace is a bet I wouldn't take.
But here's what separates the founders who merely survive from those who actually thrive in these conditions.
How to Navigate the Storm
In the face of all this turbulence, here's what I believe the world is calling forth from us more than ever:
Stop chasing external stability. When everything feels overwhelming, our instinct is often to do more – work harder, hustle more, try to catch up. Your mind says, "If you run fast enough, you'll eventually get ahead of the chaos." But this approach hasn't worked yet, has it?
Go within instead. The stability you're seeking isn't out there – it's inside you. When I felt overwhelmed the other morning and was nervous about an upcoming group coaching call, my mind urged me to fill my free hour with more planning and preparing. Instead, I chose a 40-minute meditation. That counterintuitive choice is precisely what allowed me to show up with presence.
Find your center point. Take moments throughout your day to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and locate that still point within yourself. It might be deep within your lower belly, the center of your chest, or simply the space between your thoughts. It may help to balance your attention on both knees or shoulder blades. Notice this still point within you as you do. This center remains constant regardless of external circumstances.
Lead from stillness. True leadership isn't about having all the answers or projecting false confidence. It's about being that calm port in the storm for yourself and everyone around you. Your team, investors, and customers don't need you to pretend everything is fine – they need you to remain centered when it isn't so you can creatively respond to whatever life brings.
Be kind to yourself. As my coach once told me, "Go as far into the darkness as you can without extinguishing your own light." Know your limits. Turn down the volume when needed. The chaos will still be there when you're ready to face it again – but you'll face it from a place of strength.
While these practices will help you navigate the current state of the world and all the external chaos, there’s a deeper underlying principle that allows founders to transform this chaos from obstacles into fuel for unprecedented growth.
The Key to Thriving, Not Just Surviving
There’s ONE thing that allows founders to fully take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves instead of reacting out of fear and missing out.
It's one thing that leads to extraordinary clarity and confidence, which allows them to not only survive any conditions, but also thrive through them and create successful outcomes despite them.
This is why you see some founders out there who build one successful startup after another with seemingly effortless grace.
Because this is something that you can control that affects every decision you make, every team interaction, and every strategic move you make.
What this one thing is? Seeing reality clearly.
And as I always say, your startup journey, with all its challenges and chaos, can be the perfect dojo for your personal and spiritual development
So on Wednesday, we'll dive into exactly what that means and how it'll make the biggest difference for your journey as a founder, a leader, and a CEO regardless of what’s happening around you. Stay tuned.
With love,
- Dave Kashen
P.S. What external circumstances or changes in the world are currently affecting you the most? I’d love to hear what you’re facing to see how I can help.
