The Struggle is REAL

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There’s a popular line you’ve probably heard:

“I traded my 9 to 5 for the freedom of entrepreneurship.”

But let’s be honest… most of us actually traded 9 to 5 for 24/7 😆 

This week in the Tribe community, we saw something powerful. 

A post went up from a founder admitting they were struggling. And within minutes, dozens of other founders jumped in to help.

No sales advice. No hacks. Just support.

Because here’s the truth every founder knows: 

Entrepreneurship is hard.

And a lot of the time, it feels like you’re going through it alone.

Most Days Are Harder Than They Look

What percentage of your days are good vs. rough?

We posted this question on X and here are some real replies:

• “Lately it’s been rough. Stress from personal life made it 10x worse.”
  

• “I think 25% of days feel good, 50% are neutral, and 25% feel like you’re getting hit in the face.”

Sound familiar?

The day-to-day can feel like a never-ending uphill battle: cash flow, hiring, marketing, clients, and a thousand tiny fires. 

And when you’re in it, it’s easy to forget:

This is the game. 

But trust us, all founders go through this. 

You can’t avoid the struggle. But you can build systems to get through it.

Here are two things that actually help:

Zoom Out When You Feel Stuck

When you're in the thick of it:

• Lost a client

• Missed a goal

• Burned out from 12-hour days

It’s easy to think your whole business is falling apart.

But in reality?

It might just be a bad day, not a bad direction.

One founder said it like this:

"Most days feel like sh*t… until I zoom out and realize I’ve actually come a long way."*

Here’s a simple exercise:

Open up your notes app and write down what’s working.

• What have you improved in the last 30, 60, or 90 days?

• What milestones have you hit (even the small ones)?

That shift in perspective matters.

Because when you zoom out, you see growth.

When you zoom in, you only see friction.

Founders who stick with it long enough usually win.

But the only way to stick with it… is to stop judging yourself on a bad Tuesday.

Don’t Go Through It Alone

The hardest part of the journey is thinking you have to figure it all out by yourself.

You don’t.

Lean on your Tribe. Message someone. Ask for feedback. Vent.

This community exists so you don’t have to carry the weight alone.

Entrepreneurship is lonely. And it feels lonelier when things aren’t going well.

There’s a reason every great founder has a support system.

• They talk to other founders.

• They ask for help.

• They share what they’re struggling with (before everything goes to sh*t)

Tribe exists for exactly this reason:

So you don’t have to pretend everything’s fine when it’s not.

So if you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just not sure what to do next…

DM someone in your peer group.

Drop a note in the Slack.

Raise your hand and say, “I could use a sounding board.”

You’ll be surprised how fast the right conversation can get you back on track.

Keep Climbing

Every founder struggles. The ones who win are the ones who keep climbing anyway.

So if you’re having a hard week, you’re not broken.

You’re building something that matters. And the hard days are part of the price.

The key is knowing where to turn when it gets heavy.

Let’s have an amazing week! 

– The TRIBE Team