PS#007: Mental Fitness + My Superpower

Good morning, everyone!

I’m going to take a break from our scheduled programming to talk about mental fitness and venture capital. 

I promise I will get right back to the series on “presenting investment opportunities,” but I thought this was important and worth discussing.

Venture capital is hard.

I know I’ve said this a bunch of times before, but it’s worth repeating.

These past few weeks in particular I’ve felt it. Multiple weeks of travel, hard negotiations to close deals, conferences, call after call, preparing our team for next year, etc. 

It can feel like running on a treadmill that never stops. Sometimes it’s tough to separate the work from the rest of your life.

Before I continue, a MASSIVE DISCLAIMER. 

I love this job. I love this work. I still believe that those founding and building startups are by far the hardest working individuals in this industry. They drive me to work as hard as I can.

However, I just want to acknowledge that this job can exhaust you if you don’t take care of yourself.

In the world of venture & startups, mental and physical fitness are critical for good decisions.

When I started in this industry, I was disciplined around exercising and taking care of myself.

For a time during the pandemic, I lost that routine. It showed me that this job was almost impossible if I couldn’t keep a clear, sharp mind to make decisions.

At the end of the day, we are being paid for our judgment. Venture capitalists are asked to make investment decisions after reviewing hundreds if not thousands of startups. 

Without a clear head, you’re guaranteed to make some bad decisions.

So what’s my point?

Build a routine that allows you to stay mentally sharp.

This could be anything.

It could be exercise, sports, music, art, walks, meditation, hiking, reading (not about venture or startups), or anything else that allows you to clear your mind.

This is so, so important.

A lot of what I preach is about process. This is a core piece of the overall process. 

I’ve seen what happens for myself when I ignore the need for a mental refresh. It’s not pretty.

Personally, I like to mix in some combination of exercise throughout the week. I try to make sure that it includes time outside, away from screens, and unplugged. A true break. Not a workout session where I’m checking twitter in between reps.

But, above all else, the most important thing I do every day is go for a walk.

Walks are my superpower.

I’m not quite sure why or how, but even a bad walk is a great walk for me.

I always come back with a better mood, more energy, and a clear plan of attack.

I use them as a mental break, to work through hard problems, and to reset my perspective. All it takes is 15-20 minutes outside and I’m able to right the ship. I can’t recommend them enough. 

If there is one thing you take away from this newsletter today, it’s to add walks into your daily schedule. 

You won’t regret it.