Can you get religious about it?
The missing piece to Ikigai.
Hi, it’s Melissa, and welcome (back) to “your founder next door”, a weekly publication with stories and tidbits of my human journey bootstrapping eWebinar to $5m ARR. No BS, just straight-up truth bombs on what it’s like to build a company without an abundance of resources or friends in high places.
In the last few days, two different people brought up Ikigai when we were talking about finding purpose. The popular Japanese concept of finding the intersection between what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
These discussions reminded me of a conversation I once had with a founder friend… Someone I’ve always looked up to; one of the few I know in real life who actually “made it.”
When I first met him over 10 years ago, he was a “celebrity founder” who had just exited his media company which, at its peak, had a network of 50 assets underneath.
Because of those successes, he was always getting involved with startups and venture funds at the board level. Always had early stage opportunities where he could get in as an advisor or cofounder.
Despite all that, I’d never seen him stick with something for more than a year.
The last time I saw him for a catch up, he was telling me about a blockchain startup he was involved with; brand name VCs, proven cofounder, plus a winning team.
But he was walking away, and going to find someone to replace him or return investors’ money.
“Why would you walk away from that?” I asked.
“I just can’t get religious about it,” he said.
And that’s the piece Ikigai misses. 🧩
Building a startup is so hard that it’s not enough if you love it (or the idea of it). It’s not enough if you’re good at doing what’s required. It’s not enough if the world needs it. It’s not enough if you can get paid for it.
What really matters is whether you can completely obsess over it regardless of what happens.
Being able to get religious about it is what brings it all together.
When you’re building a company, you’ll have way more downs than ups for a while. When you’re in those lows, you’re going to need your obsession to carry you through.
What does it mean to get religious about something?
It means having delusional self-belief to keep going when giving up seems like the only option.
It means believing you’re onto something even when the numbers tell a different story.
It means you’re willing to be the advocate for something very few people see right now.
Next time you’re not sure if you’re on the right path, ask yourself: Am I still obsessed with solving this problem?
Can I still get religious about it?
It’s a good litmus test.
Till next time,
— Melissa ✌️
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