After Every Panic Comes The Grind

“After every panic comes the grind.” – Brad Feld  

Everything is going great, and then it’s suddenly not. An issue becomes a problem. A problem becomes a crisis. A crisis becomes a nightmare of logistics, replanning, extra work, and stress. So. Much. Stress. This is the grind. It comes after every panic.

As the stoics would say, we can’t control what happens, but we can control how we react to it. Bad leaders reject the grind and look for the easy out. Great leaders embrace and face the grind, recognizing the opportunity it presents. Grinds have a way of shaking out those who don’t want to put in the work.

I have no doubts we are all facing one form or another of a grind right now. The panic may not even be over yet, but the grind has begun. We can think of what we could have done, but that’s not very useful. It’s time to accept the reality, assess the situation, and get to work. It’s going to take a while, and that’s OK.

Howard Lindzon’s podcast series “Panic with Friends” has really been great. Anyone running or investing in businesses should check them out.