![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.alainveuve.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/gra1b-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nCuriously, I have still not really been able to find out who the author is or even who took the picture. (anyone who knows anything more about this please DM). It certainly wasn’t me. Kudos at this point to the worthy “creator”. <\/p>\n
This simple graphic has always helped me to understand that the emotional vale of tears that you experience on the way to achieving great things is unfortunately part of it.<\/p>\n
I have often experienced it exactly as described; in the beginning you are on fire for an idea. Gradually you realize where you’re going and end up in a vale of tears: the venture doesn’t turn out as well as you thought, new challenges are identified just at the moment when you don’t need them anyway. Often this marked suspension bridge doesn’t even exist, I suspect it’s just there to cheer up the unsuspecting. Most of the time you are wading waist-deep in the “dark swamp of despair”. <\/p>\n
This is the “best case”<\/h3>\n
The previous figure shows, mind you, the “best case”. Start-ups, you have to be aware, usually have a completely different curve: <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.alainveuve.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/gra2.jpg\")
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The bad thing is that you often have this catastrophic outcome of the undertaking in mind. And, if you look at it soberly, this outcome is also the one with the highest probability of occurrence. <\/p>\n
In most cases, the emotional aspect decides when it is ready<\/h3>\n
What I also observe is that start-up entrepreneurs are not up to the emotional challenges of the “dark swamp of despair” and, well, give up.<\/p>\n
This is wrong, because if the strategy and the starting position are right, the will to persevere is often the decisive factor in whether a start-up is successful in the long term or not. In my experience, it is always very helpful to maintain a separate emotional and rational mindset at the same time. Depending on your personality, it can be helpful to simply keep going, even if you have the feeling that you are completely lost. In reality, you rarely are. <\/p>\n
The jug and the fountain<\/h3>\n
Because if you manage to get the negative out of your head, there are often a surprising number of options for action. Many of these options are probably a little unconventional. However, I have very rarely seen start-ups where the strategy and basic cornerstones are more or less right actually run out of options. <\/p>\n
“Usually the jug doesn’t break on the way to the well, it stays whole and simply doesn’t go back to the well.” <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nI’m not saying that you should sacrifice yourself to the point of personal ruin for a cause – quite the opposite in fact – but my observation is that people give up in the proverbially stupidest situations.<\/p>\n
Separating the wheat from the chaff<\/h3>\n
If you ask investors what the main characteristics are that they consider when qualifying a start-up, they often mention the team. I – and I am by no means a conventional investor – have precisely this ability in mind when I think about who I work with for new start-ups. People who, quite independently of start-ups, have already had to go through this “dark swamp of disparity” are generally much better entrepreneurs. Incidentally, this also applies to VCs, who often give up even in the stupidest of situations. Here, too, the wheat is separated from the chaff. <\/p>\n
The torture never stops<\/h3>\n
You might think that anyone who has already successfully navigated this situation is immune to it, so to speak. Unfortunately, this is not the case. I have been through regular episodes of darkest mood regarding at least one of my ventures. What keeps me going in these situations is the conviction that only those who don’t give up win. It would be bluffing to claim that this has anything to do with motivation or inspiration. <\/p>\n
And then it’s not the case that you only go through the vale of tears once, no, it’s often the case that you fall back into the “dark swamp”. Especially when you try to establish new business models on the market with new technology, this effect is particularly, well, brutal. If you’ve never experienced this with your start-up, it’s a pretty good indicator that you’re not radical and innovative enough. Or that they are one of the very few geniuses on the start-up scene. <\/p>\n
You always underestimate everything at the beginning<\/h3>\n
I think the reason for this is simple; you almost always fundamentally underestimate an undertaking. If you think that’s bad, then I think you’re wrong. Because there are many things you wouldn’t even start if you knew the true extent of the challenge. This magic of the beginning – it’s great. <\/p>\n
Only to be surpassed by the feeling of having gone through the whole journey and reached the destination. If you make it, this perseverance is what you are most proud of. And that’s nothing more than logical; perseverance is the greatest emotional achievement on the road to accomplishing great things. Think about that the next time you’re on the verge of giving up. Whether it’s in your start-up, your job or your personal life. Those who persevere win. Eventually. <\/p>\n
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