Hello there,
Let’s get one thing straight:
Building a business will test every fibre of who you are.
What they don’t tell you?
Founders don’t burn out because they’re weak.
They burn out because they believe stopping means slipping.
Because pausing feels like failure.
Because somewhere along the way, “hustle” got confused with “self-worth.”
This week, we’re talking about founder mental health.
Not in the cliché, “take a bubble bath” kind of way.
But how to actually stay sane while scaling, so your business doesn’t cost you your mind.
There was a time I thought stress just came with the title “Founder.” That the anxiety, brain fog, and 3 a.m. wake-ups were just part of the deal. I wore exhaustion like a badge of honour. More pressure meant more progress, right?
Wrong.
But I wasn’t pushing through. I was silently cracking and I convinced myself that needing rest was weakness, that slowing down meant I’d fall behind.
Here’s what I learnt the hard way:
Mental health isn’t a side quest, it’s the foundation.
If your mind’s not right, it doesn’t matter how fast your business is growing because eventually, you become the bottleneck. And the cost of ignoring that? It’s far higher than a missed deadline, a bad quarter, or a 1 star Google review.
Scaling isn’t just strategy, sales, and hiring sprees. It’s mental gymnastics.
It’s mental endurance at the highest level. You’re not just managing a growing team or bigger numbers, you’re managing uncertainty, pressure, and the constant mental load of being the one who has to hold it all together.
What no one tells you is that your biggest asset isn’t just your business plan, it’s your clarity of mind. If your headspace isn’t protected, none of the metrics matter. Revenue is meaningless if you’re too mentally exhausted to enjoy it. A full calendar means nothing if you’re running on empty. That’s why founder mental health isn’t soft, it’s structural. Without it, everything else eventually cracks.
1. Non-Reactive = Powerful
Stop reacting to everything. Reacting drains your energy. Start responding with intention. That space between stimulus and response is where your power lies.
2. Done > Perfect
Perfection is just procrastination in disguise. “Done is better than perfect.” Move fast, make decisions, and stop waiting for everything to be flawless.
3. Space Over Time
You need space, not just time. Space to think, breathe, and recharge. Schedule time to do nothing, that’s where clarity and good decisions are born.
4. Self-Awareness Is Your Secret Weapon
Know yourself. If you’re feeling off, listen. Scaling a business means constant pressure, but ignoring your mental health will make it all crumble.
5. Your “Why” Is Your Anchor
When things get chaotic, return to your “why”. Your mission is your anchor. If you’ve lost sight of it, you’ve lost your way. Keep it close.
6. Embrace Chaos
Chaos means growth. The bigger the mess, the bigger the opportunity. Get comfortable with unpredictability, that’s where true innovation happens.
This book completely rewired how I see pressure and adversity. As a founder, you’re constantly faced with obstacles, but the key to mental resilience isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about mastering your perception of those obstacles.
Holiday’s philosophy is rooted in Stoicism: when you face a challenge, don’t see it as something standing in your way. See it as the path. The obstacle is not the enemy; it’s the opportunity to grow, learn, and become stronger.
One killer takeaway from the book that stuck with me:
“You control the story you tell yourself. Make it one where you win.”
The Founder Burnout Checklist is a simple, actionable guide with checklists (plus bonus exercises) to help you:
✔️Spot the early red flags before they spiral
✔️Reset your daily routines to protect your energy
✔️Create non-negotiable boundaries that actually stick
✔️Build a “burnout buffer system” for long-term resilience
✔️Regulate your stress without numbing out
I made the decision to move to Portugal.
Relocating sounds glamorous, but change is hard. It stretches you. Growth drains you. Even the “good” stuff can feel like too much some days.
As founders, we think we can keep pushing until we break. But here’s what no one tells you: Mental health isn’t a “nice-to-have” when you're scaling, it’s your foundational tool. Without it, the rest crumbles.
This week, I’ve reminded myself:
Mental health isn’t a luxury, it’s the foundation.
Slowing down isn’t falling behind, it’s staying aligned.
So here’s your permission slip:
Take the walk
Breathe deeper
Leave the inbox alone for an hour
Do the thing that re-centres you
We’re constantly told to “hustle harder,” to “grind through it.” But that’s a lie. The real work? Protecting your peace so that when it’s time to move, you can execute with clarity and confidence.
Wherever you are, I hope you’re taking the time to protect your peace.
Because that is where progress begins.
We’re diving into chronotypes and productivity, when your brain works best. Stop fighting your body’s clock. Align your schedule, maximise your energy, and start owning your day, not the other way around.
To your unstoppable success,
Writer, The Success Method
%20(1).webp)
.jpg)
