How solitude can be every founder's Superpower!
Always be selling! Always be raising and always be networking! The mantra that has been going on around for every successful founder. Right? NOPE!
In the last decade, we are seeing founders building a new type of startup. The startup that is built behind the scenes, the one that takes more time to launch, the one that is built by introverts. And stay tuned as you see more and more of such quiet and courageous ones go BIG!
I read this article earlier this week by Waylon Lewis, editor-in-chief of Elephant Journal, and this quote stuck with me:
“Loneliness is the human condition. Cultivate it. The way it tunnels into you allows your soul room to grow. Never expect to outgrow loneliness. Never hope to find people who will understand you, someone to fill that space. An intelligent, sensitive person is the exception, the very great exception. If you expect to find people who will understand you, you will grow murderous with disappointment. The best you’ll ever do is to understand yourself, know what it is that you want, and not let the cattle stand in your way.” ~ Janet Fitch
The post-covid world has made so many of us realize that solitude, being alone, and spending time with yourself will most likely be the norm. The times of daily networking, being in a crowd to drown our own voice is now over. Yes, in-person events are coming back but the times we have left in 2019 are long gone.
So how can you use this scary thing called ‘Solitude’ as your superpower?
Increased Creativity: Being alone gives you the gift of working and showcasing your creativity. There is a reason so many of us have taken up music, art, dancing, and content creation. I never thought I would start a blog, create regular content with ease and get back into music in the last 18 months. It has made so much space for me to practice my individuality and helped in being energized for my startups.
Enhanced Reflection: Solitude also forced us to take a hard look at ourselves, our habits, our life, our support system, and our health. Honestly, my coffee intake had reduced drastically, I love my walks in nature where I get my most innovative ideas and I am accepting my emotions and understanding them. Pre-covid I would spend time surrounded by crowds and happy hours where the voice of my mind was completely drowned out.
Distractionless Zone: Focus especially for me comes in silence, in solitude and I remember pre-covid, working through eh night just so that I could get some quiet time to get the utmost focus. Using solitude to actually work throughout the day had been doing miracles for my productivity. I think this is such a superpower for every founder.
Again, as an introvert, being alone has always been energizing for me and I am sure, it is very hard for extroverts. So I don’t recommend this to be your permanent state. However, I do feel, as founders, our job is to be very mindful of our strengths and weaknesses. And having time to be alone to reflect on this certainly can create successful startup companies.
Start with 30 minutes a day and no I mean absolutely without any other stimulus. No books, no audible, no music and no tech. Keep a journal and write things that flow naturally in your mind. You will see day after day, how much changes when you give yourself some time and space.
Use solitude as your superpower. I treat is like a privilege and hope that it never leaves me.
Until next time!
Love and light,
Arjita