Focus on what you DON’T Want to do

Focus on what you DON’T Want to do [Focus On What You DONT Want To Do_revised_Focus On What You DONT Want To Do] TL;DR: What happens when instead of worrying about the things we want to do, we focus on the things we never, ever want to do again? How can that start to take huge steps in reducing our overall stress? Startups set tons of goals, and most are focused on what we want the business to achieve. But sometimes the most important goals to set are the things we DON'T want the business to do! When we founded Startups.com, we had lots of experience in previous startups doing things we loathed. This time around, we set out to not only build a startup we loved, but an environment dedicated to avoiding things we couldn’t stand. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s Advice Sponsored by [Hustle Con](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*N86q6TJ3VbQxW7thKh-8DYH700/5/f18dQhb0SfHC8Y9YbHW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW3k4Bdy30r4H_W6qx1BQ5YQvzJN17nZMdLCsWCW8Gp2V88GvBG1W5RlSdT5xNCj8W8mGgzn313w-GW5vHw5H3qK6WrW446RQd8l3crmW5Jzv0T37SV6XW5JGvYJ5FGfdZW5mW-5M3wyHWXW8vVh845yHxwWW8h4hmM8xY4YhW5pdrFF8BvdnrW8JPQVM8g60W5W41Hbnc8NkSz8W2-Gl-d2YBJkrW32pG4Y5LFVK8W3DvGmc8nJ1Z4W3jJJJh8xSV_RVdLGLC64T_Y9W8tjFDZ37P0d4W15hnZl2-Hb7jW1my9Vh1my8tcW2J4_PN8p0_B8W4WwqDG51vDFbN7nwMD4sk4dRW3BBnnq6-527RW85zJvt56fvxBW85w3Pt7wDVj7VVFK3G4Fzx6sW6ml62F4Pv86fV5Y1G-1BQ7lD102) What did you never want to do again? We began by listing all of the things we never wanted to do again like: "never working with jerks", "never creating any situation where we can be told what to do" and "never letting our startup come before our family" — among others. Itemizing everything you absolutely don't want to do again is not only powerful, it's liberating. It cuts past all of the subconscious reasons we lean toward avoiding certain issues and just puts them front and center. "Why didn't we want to raise capital? Reason: We didn't want to be told what to do." Saying it sounds easy. How hard is it really? Saying that we "won't answer to anyone" is one thing, but it's much harder to do when the bank account is almost empty and we're dying for an investor to help pull us from oblivion. We've found the key to sticking to our guns is having goals that everyone truly believes in. This makes it easier to band together to rally around goals when it would just be SO much easier to abandon them altogether. Sometimes the "Win" is what you don't have to do Life (even at a startup) isn't always just about what we get to do — it's often about what we don't have to do. Not sacrificing our core beliefs and goals, no matter what the upside, can become one of the most powerful and rewarding parts of building a startup our way. The first step is to simply put them in front of us and commit. --------------------------------------------------------------- [sponsored-badge] “It’s like a 2-day MBA without wasting 2 years and $100k” That’s how a Hustle Con attendee described the conference. Every year, The Hustle (the newsletter read by 1m+ professionals) hosts [Hustle Con](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W4CzWh35sq0LLW1RtXKV4YZ8Dc0/5/f18dQhb0SfHC8Y9YbHW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW3k4Bdy30r4H_W6qx1BQ5YQvzJN17nZMdLCsWCW8Gp2V88GvBG1W5RlSdT5xNCj8W8mGgzn313w-GW5vHw5H3qK6WrW446RQd8l3crmW5Jzv0T37SV6XW5JGvYJ5FGfdZW5mW-5M3wyHWXW8vVh845yHxwWW8h4hmM8xY4YhW5pdrFF8BvdnrW8JPQVM8g60W5W41Hbnc8NkSz8W2-Gl-d2YBJkrW32pG4Y5LFVK8W3DvGmc8nJ1Z4W3jJJJh8xSV_RVdLGLC64T_Y9W8tjFDZ37P0d4W15hnZl2-Hb7jW1my9Vh1my8tcW2J4_PN8p0_B8W4WwqDG51vDFbN7nwMD4sk4dRW3BBnnq6-527RW85zJvt56fvxBW85w3Pt7wDVj7VVFK3G4Fzx6sW6ml62F5ZDFd9V5XMbV2Mv3sp102), a 2-day event that brings together nearly 2,000 founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and ambitious professionals. Why? To [learn growth tactics](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W18c1x25BvFKHW2HQlkH2CgZT-0/5/f18dQhb0SfHC8Y9YbHW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW3k4Bdy30r4H_W6qx1BQ5YQvzJN17nZMdLCsWCW8Gp2V88GvBG1W5RlSdT5xNCj8W8mGgzn313w-GW5vHw5H3qK6WrW446RQd8l3crmW5Jzv0T37SV6XW5JGvYJ5FGfdZW5mW-5M3wyHWXW8vVh845yHxwWW8h4hmM8xY4YhW5pdrFF8BvdnrW8JPQVM8g60W5W41Hbnc8NkSz8W2-Gl-d2YBJkrW32pG4Y5LFVK8W3DvGmc8nJ1Z4W3jJJJh8xSV_RVdLGLC64T_Y9W8tjFDZ37P0d4W15hnZl2-Hb7jW1my9Vh1my8tcW2J4_PN8p0_B8W4WwqDG51vDFbN7nwMD4sk4dRW3BBnnq6-527RW85zJvt56fvxBW85w3Pt7wDVj7VVFK3G4Fzx6sW6ml62F5n2W9cV5XVcm8BKX_V102) from leading startup founders -- tactics anyone, technical or not, can implement immediately and see the outcome. It’s is a crash course in taking your business to the next level. This year, Hustle Con welcomes founders from ThirdLove, Hims, Strava, Lime, Calm, thredUP and many more. Founders will not only be on stage, but also up-close-and-personal during classroom breakout sessions on Day 2. It’s a can’t-miss event. Join the tribe this December 2-3 at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA. [Tickets are on sale now.](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W93NyJw2ZWnK1W8n_xRP8_9RZ50/5/f18dQhb0SfHC8Y9YbHW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW3k4Bdy30r4H_W6qx1BQ5YQvzJN17nZMdLCsWCW8Gp2V88GvBG1W5RlSdT5xNCj8W8mGgzn313w-GW5vHw5H3qK6WrW446RQd8l3crmW5Jzv0T37SV6XW5JGvYJ5FGfdZW5mW-5M3wyHWXW8vVh845yHxwWW8h4hmM8xY4YhW5pdrFF8BvdnrW8JPQVM8g60W5W41Hbnc8NkSz8W2-Gl-d2YBJkrW32pG4Y5LFVK8W3DvGmc8nJ1Z4W3jJJJh8xSV_RVdLGLC64T_Y9W8tjFDZ37P0d4W15hnZl2-Hb7jW1my9Vh1my8tcW2J4_PN8p0_B8W4WwqDG51vDFbN7nwMD4sk4dRW3BBnnq6-527RW85zJvt56fvxBW85w3Pt7wDVj7VVFK3G4Fzx6sW6ml62F6ybnh7V5XJmF54KxRt102) Use code STARTUPSDOTCOM to save $40 off a 2-day ticket. [GET YOUR TICKET →](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W3j20ZV517zSSW7qZDdq2vLHHw0/5/f18dQhb0Sq5M8YHrG2W2R-v8d5VQHwBN5CYS45Cn5LbW2RHm441wcxHqW7K0yZl1G838yW2Sx7Pc2NB2NVW6JrDsy58zYp9W1GmwJ31G7SXbW1yb4zH2VslPSW2Lj-Rx49z-4PW2MV0Xf4HJDGQW2xVXwK7bqTzMN7vp5Qyzp9lGW3qH53S5qBP42W2_8ZC95kt88fW6gv77b9dlPS6MHcR1SBrdb_W7d094f6G7FblW4DFfS36RT4CNW8pFr_w97g8NCN6cfr70DL_N7W86QvC55kfy1LW6Z3dDw1pX9x_N4DnVt437c9nW7mDPqJ6Zf1zgW518Vkx6PsBtLVYzYVx2jfVyRW3Bd5Mb1cNPqFW631Dr82T_Md5N643qM_dZLj1W63lcpB8KDWVHW2prkVM2zpY4yW7mMwgg1xJyz0VhzVNs5GH9d2Vk9s5v3ygvH8W8c3fNX5lq_06W1D9fCT7t5DQTW2Hmhss6yBF08N7B1tLK306RWN4QDgwJWWbb1W1Mx5CJ21VXksW5_5kgN20VLKqW1Vqh8z2B9qvmW3vXvF36gVCkGw3xWwfqnC6f970DFD02) --------------------------------------------------------------- In Case You Missed It W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W6BPKQG41t8DnW7l-ylj37Zr7h0/5/f18dQhb0S5fg8Z99mYW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW6Ryxq530r3g4W62X7vT3sQXB6W5lMxHb3jbMrfW5L1J3D5pd72xW3dhk3k3jc6r0W34_zSb30ZtZTW6dGhQN6nwR2cW5J7gWK3gMw1tW68HyWw5H_gDnW5y3qfq18pfdMW5G18Kh3y9KYQW3dgtKG18kwYgW5PthsQ5RBjqTW5Qwg015WTSpQW38lQ_h5D4vrtN2_0wZ-TwKQ5VR808W8yx59FW5B4g1f8hGPhzW39vcyD5H-6kGW5GGWXJ3wh03dW16YvBW5sSkqbN116C6CV_026W34mlJl8xm-Y6W8KQlVn8vw_BTW3hn69K8gD9fYW8yxwG-6mmMG6W42kgb44n70fnW6hz0s82bzNQYW5_jXJ22N2vJpW2N2rVf5n9_HgN7nZ_fltVwPmVJVPVg3vNwWxW5hfR428jRg1FW8pxNry1ppmLmVLWkX38qSlChW646tV31vhWTtN8Cl-XBNDyx-MrTzpY1gcKpf2nMzGK03 [7 Business Goals for Early Stage Startups.](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W6RBBx06NZDD1VvBlNX4SdzSc0/5/f18dQhb0S5fr8XJ9qWW2R-v8d5VQHwBN5CYS45Cn5LbW2f6s7T1wcxHqW7K0hWZ1MpdvPW2Hngl51G5BsrW7z32L57m9w-zW1F77tJ6kGhqpW1zv36R1xt0J8W7PVkr77z1B6_W1Kqkz72Xs7gqW2Rxbf46c4BcRW2MCbZQ6D582vW18pfdM5G18KhW3y9KYQ3dgtKGW18kwYg5PthsQW5RBjqT5Qwg01W5WTSpQ38lQ_hW5D4vrt2_0wZ-MTwKQ5R808WW8yx59F5B4g1fW8hGPhz39vcyDW5H-6kG5GGWXJW3wh03d16YvBWW5sSkqb116C6CVV_02634mlJlW8xm-Y68KQlVnW8vw_BT3hn69KW8gD9fY8yxwG-W6mmMG642ktrbN8VBcQCrPpMvVrJh2D41MLvyW2ykJGL2yc11rW50MFJV5CRbH6VyqXXV5CkmYBVn5zc74c-1WMW3hx1Cv5FMTP7W65VdPs5MJhr-W8lhCdq6n3gdjW8_ljzr8WWbvMMZpcmq9ZLgNddJrKf11) Mapping out business goals for an early-stage startup can be tricky. Here's a loose guideline to help you get there. [Start Faster by Starting Smaller.](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*N8pt-qjLlcxLW6D0Fgw3srDTL0/5/f18dQhb0Sjvc8XJ8QKW2R-v8d5VQHwBN5CYS45Cn5LbW4BrvLT1wcxHqW7K0hWZ1MpdvPW2Hngl51G5BsrW7z32L57m9w-zW1F77tJ6kGhqpW1zv36R1xt0J8W7PVnHy1xsn-GW7VyQgL1HqklRW2HFgYt7zvpMSW3jvcm-54ShRhW4g0DWk54smhFW1RSPjB8Zc5qqW8m6TDQ7hrDVDN8q5qBxVQf4XW5vDhWY4YGpSfW3Nqd7k8r_KzlW1rVPf68vypPVW5sFWrR8qCxgqW5rPS9P4VJkVBVbymGY27nxgLW8qC5zl6Mt9gPW37FTKT8r44DTW65t88R5xVXd5W4ZhXKn62ggl6W7f6RK52zgRlPVNBSbx98qr7-W2bbHNp97sBK_W3961x96LKnFBW4tGJNY6fpW8sW5HFsLg8sjm7VW4Pw1Vk2sbPxnW10rPtm2-CW7hW2-Bc-K3B-6WkW3MtMVB2t7zkxN3LmDwl84rVzW6PxM8g1DNM2GW7wXFBm31ZlJ0W2VlFHD8THQ1kW3b1F8x4vHmx1N4rsRvPtJCL4V3_BYp1NJvqN111) Building a startup is a game of tiny wins over and over and over. The big wins come as a result of the micro victories. The key is how you pick your battles. [Team Goals are Your Company’s Recipe for Success.](W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W16VDWk6B_l9NW5TqTYc8PN1YQ0/5/f18dQhb0S5fv8Z99mYW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW6Rw1zk30r3g4W62X7vT3sQXB6W5lMxHb3jbMrfW5L1J3D5pd72xW3dhk3k3jc6r0W34_zSb30ZtZTW6d8Gyj5BdtlzW5RWgxR3lJzF0W3gKS6Z5vJN1NW3nKD8s3jhFt9W5RlSdT5xNCj8W8mGgzn313w-GW5vHw5H3qK6WrW446RQd8l3crmW5Jzv0T37SV6XW5JGvYJ5FGfdZW5mW-5M3wyHWXW8vVh845yHxwWW8h4hmM8xY4YhW5pdrFF8BvdnrW8JPQVM8g60W5W41Hbnc8NkSz8W2-Gl-d2YBJkrW32pG4Y5LFVK8W3DvGmc8nJ1Z4W3jJJJh8xSV_RVdLGLC64V3qcMzC1kYwKJnCV3qXVC3p7LfZW5DpFQ351L-dtW24PBjS4rWMVnW8y8x9Z24KFF6W1Ngx1f51bb7rW94ckWT4h04ByW1MPFGG4lJXSPW218TKF3xzpDwW998SdL6Q3Qs6MrLh9QrHN0Mf9m33rG02) Sometimes as Founders we get so focused on the big-picture goals we have for our company, we forget about another set of goals we should be setting: goals for our team. W7wP3gM6tcnrPW8sT5Z4293Y690/*W6Ds3bs2Sh995W5bPJgv2D9TVv0/5/f18dQhb0SmhP8Z99sHW5GYyXB2qwv31W1TNQmy1bMcsnW27_B-p30r3g4W62X7vT3sQXB6W5lMxHb3jbMrfW5L1J0Z7b8m0fW5C9dMF2YCrNjW57T_p24N4dG0W7bCNVS3FLRzCW8hz0Ys806yj3W70ml3s85-fvHW8Vn8rs4zF4nQW7P9rNp4-rGzHW8MYZvl7l9JXbW3vx5fP5pvPXqF70drJ1BkVtW3HR5pP3tDwRwW2wBrGN3pdv-HW57SbCh5SGYLpW1PD2V55hrDqcW31wQHc1svm34W7LzXxq4Q1Q74W30J2b04mjZvcW5Vgp5p5ZMWxlW3GV-XX5qXnc9W49kJcm6ZFh71W1dKRwV4M1133W4H_8kB2NqGsdW6zCFTd1Q5Ln_W1sd4dw7C2S8fN2dPj79hzPJcVd8y6q1QNZWrW3w1PRw41QhdsW2B6dfJ41NtqRW3MR7Sw56nhtxW6_R_g63bGkNXN73Q0vR1-K0pdsPzTJ02 Thanks from the Startups Team, [Startups-employee-avatars_Wil-1] Wil Schroter Founder, CEO and Startup Sensei [Startups-employee-avatars_Ryan] Ryan RutanCMO and Man with the Golden Podcast Voice [Startups-employee-avatars_Alex] Alex ChudikMarketing, occasionally eats cake for breakfast Startups.com, 1322 Manning Parkway, Columbus, OH 43065, USA, (800) 997-9714 [Unsubscribe]( [Manage preferences](