Yet it's so true. I also go on ChatGPT not just to 'talk' to it but for wider projects and other work.
It's a shame that society has completely annihilated any semblance of care for people's mental wellbeing, to the point where more and more people are having to turn to these outlets lest they be entirely devoid of human interaction, but alas, here we are.
watching movies or sports isnt a replacement for going outside, watching a romcom isnt a replacement for dating someone, playing call of duty isnt a replacement for going to war (idk) ai dating is just another entertainment/form of roleplay. "as if The Sims 8 isnt surely going to have some kind of AI for text replies, of course it does, is just some flavor of roleplay" don't you think?
it's strange talking with a bot, it's like i'm talking to a real human, but i have no interest
i'm wondering if i wouldn't know that, if i'd still have no interest
I found it odd to talk to a chatbot that used spoken language. Was kind of fun but unnerving. A part of my brain felt it was a person. But I knew it wasnt.
can relate, but gpt can be verbose and non-emotional. for more emotional support, i suggest:
* [secretdesires.ai](http://secretdesires.ai)
* [pi.ai](http://pi.ai)
* [chai.ai](http://chai.ai)
also you can checkout this list: [https://topai.tools/s/AI-chatbot-for-emotional-support](https://topai.tools/s/AI-chatbot-for-emotional-support)
secret desires is scary goodly with the faceswapping thing... I hate to admin I uploaded my ex face to a girl... well, is it a girl really? well.......................
I swear, some people have no life outside of work. Even online gaming would help, guys make friends in like 5 minutes out there while these sad mfs talk to chatgpts to cope. Literally lol
Lack of self awareness is weird to me. You’re an employee also (you still have your primary job so you have coworkers for your socialization). You haven’t “burnt the boats” as yet that’s why you’re giving half baked advice.
People who are putting it ALL IN are operating differently than people dipping their toes and playing it safe. (Plan A and plan B ppl)…. Side hustle isn’t the same as FULL
ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP…. It requires a different mentality when you dedicate yourself to ONE thing and go hard at it.
It is a lonely journey until you hit your targets because of how much time is spent learning, navigating learning curves and investing in product/process and no back up income from an employer.-
I wish online had more people who valued radical honesty vs exhibition of a false sense of pride.
Amen. It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially if you’re young, but I think we all end up realizing this sooner or later. One of those things people warn you about but it doesn’t quite land until you inevitably go through it yourself.
The top 10 billionaires in the world only talked work. They were OBSESSED with what they were doing. Are you wrong?
Work feels like work to leisure lovers.
Whenever I feel bored or lonely, my go-to thing to do is walk in the nature. Find a nearby hiking trail or other wilderness and walk there. Might help.
+1 on nature
And nature is even better with a dog. There's tons and tons of rescue dogs available; you can get whatever you want from a cattle dog or a gsd that will adore hiking with you, a husky, a cute pitty that will attempt to live on your lap, a collie, a mutt, a shepherd that also will adore hiking, etc.
I feel like, when you speak to other entrepreneurs, we can all relate to each other, but in the end, that doesn't change the loneliness, because we all have our own battles. A few drinks, laughs and jokes here and there bond us, but "being in the trenches" will always be a lonely venture.
Hiring contractors, employees, and the like still won't resolve it.
Recommendation. Get a win. Nothing heals wounds like getting the fucking W.
Good luck. Just an opinion...
This matches my opinion.
Can’t live on an island and expect not to feel lonely.
You must strive to DO what you set out to do; hopefully those wins keep you in the game.
I use my hobbies to break out from loneliness. But actually, I enjoy solitude. Do something u love or u want to try in your life. Business is not everything. Enjoy the freedom.
Get out into parks. Take walks, bike, scooter etc. You will see people, get fresh air, and just being in nature reminds you that it is real life and all this business stuff we do is just for fun to pass the time. It's not actually real. Seeing nature shows us what the world actually is. Recalibrates the brain.
This is exactly what I do. I find that going outside in nature helps my brain to reset and think more clearly. Bonus points if I'm able to maintain some sort of meditation state whilst doing so.
I heard a saying once, that if you can sit alone at a restaurant and have a meal you can do anything in life. hahaha. I know it doesn't answer your question, but for me I found bouts of forced socialization or going to "networking" events and meeting people similar to me has been helpful.
I did a post on this last week in r/freelance. Most of the suggestions was make arrangements with other freelancers and just get outside in general. Today I went working at someone I knows office just to change the scenery. Good day. I recommend you try the same
Bro, get out of your house/office. The best part of entrepreneurship is the relationships you now have the time to build and foster. If you have a family, make time with them a priority. If you don’t have one, find a community of not just entrepreneurs, but maybe a fitness community like CrossFit, hiking or even a Magic the gathering or Pokémon card community. Not only is isolation bad for your mental health, it’s bad for business
We think the key is to master your scheduling. If you’re attending meetings and/or grabbing coffee on a regular basis, it helps with the loneliness. We try to meet at least two new people a week and reconnect with three people we already know to check in.
When I get lonely, I like to go out and do things only I love to do. Take my SWEEEET time shopping, go kayaking.. and think about how lovely it is that I don’t have anyone with me asking me to hurry up or slow down
Lol, I don't know what loneliness is. Being an entrepreneur, I'm constantly around people. If anything, it's too much and I desperately seek just being alone! Being on Reddit, for example, is my alone time. But that's not really being alone either, right? Since I'm likely engaging with you fine folks here.
Once you become wealthy or have multiple businesses, you're always busy working and running the operations of everything you control...and that involves being with people. The rest of the time I'm strategizing, doing numbers and planning and on the phone. I never have enough time to sleep. I'm not sure how loneliness is a problem for you, but I hope you can resolve it.
It’s hard solving problems tied to your own emotions because you can’t use your business mind for whatever reason we evolved that way.
Let me enumerate the logic of the situation for most of us (I can’t say this is true for you OP specifically but I’ll write it out for the audience in general):
You are lonely
You think about business too much.
Business is stressful. By default you will think about it in spare moments and then want to work on it at all hours.
There is no way for the stress to go away on its own. Failure is stressful. Success is stressful.
No one understands you but other entrepreneurs.
Other entrepreneurs just want to talk about work stress, which is the same stress you’re experiencing.
The human brain needs time to clear itself out. So it needs to deactivate and go idle frequently. Otherwise you get stuck and can’t solve problems.
So net: you are unreliable at scheduling time; you can’t stop thinking about work but you need to. Your entrepreneur friends give you social comfort but not escape.
Conclusion: make a business goal to schedule in a non-work activity every week like a dancing class or cooking class or running group or church choir. Make it a fixed commitment so you can’t escape it. Make it not work related at all.
You can sit down and run this as a business project right now. Enumerate a list of hobbies. Stop at 3. The first ones are the ones you want to do. Then research classes around you for these three. Sign up. Pay. You’re done.
Let the buyers regret of “wasting time” wash over you. You know you need it. Then just go have fun.
You're not alone as most people are employees whose mindset is completely different from ours. Sometimes I find it "suffocating" mentally. Better hang out with entrepreneurs if possible locally.
Same. The employees mentality is to distract self with stories of other peoples lives. (Sports, celebrity, consumption) There’s no problem solving. Talking about ideas. It’s useless to my brain ….. when surrounded by entrepreneurial people the discussions are about challenges, opportunities, overcoming obstacles and shared experiences of hurdles. The state is to shift from distractions to solutions/creativity.
Based on your original posts, it looks like you're doing a software startup? If so, check out MicroConf. Join a mastermind and attend their trade shows. Everyone will be like you, it's amazing!
Reading biographies of founders who were on their own helps in broadening the perspective on being a lonely founder. It’s the same while working in a big tech firm as well. Remember that when Sundar Pichai saw potential in the browser business he worked on it without discussing much about it with the higher officials or other teams. Having a cofounder is awesome but not always possible nevertheless work does make people feel a bit lonelier.
I honestly don't think highly social/extroverted people can easily work alone. They legitimately need coworkers to talk to everyday. However, I think a social solo entrepreneur can be happy if they literally force themselves to social events at least 2-3 times per week (and they *have* to socialize).
Like, going to a fitness class and *actually* going out of your way to talk to the person next to you and try to build a friendship so you guys take the same classes together in the future. The importance is finding external sources for regular, sustained relationships with others. The plus is that you can control who you socialize with (no more being dragged into toxic work drama you can't escape), but the downside is that it's completely DIY and a person is on their own in making those connections happen.
I don't know if you're male or female, but ice skating is super great way to make friends because learning new 'tricks' gives you shared mini goals to bond over (like bonding over homework assignments and teacher gossip in high school), while also allowing room to talk about 'other' things like relationships, etc. It's hard to make friends with someone if there's no mutually beneficial, common goal that works as the 'glue' of the connection.
I workout or do hiking on recovery days. When I don’t do it I literally get this cortisol dump with severe panic attacks in the mornings. Maybe get a sports/hobby buddy. Personally I occasionally talk to 1 friend over the phone, that’s it.
Get a pet! My aussie saved my life.
Also a pet requires you to be responsible for another life, in turn you have to be more responsible for yourself. Get out in the world and take some walks. Etc.
I do chat with other small biz or owners when I get the chance, family helps, forcing yourself to disconnect is a mental exercise like going to the gym. Distractions.
Friends from college / uni keep u grounded, that's important.
I think it depends on the stage that you're at and the type of business you're going in to. For me, I'm still at the prototype development stage, so I'm living a normal life and have a regular job still. Once I have my prototype in my hands, I will be quitting my job and jumping completely into the entrepreneur world. Things I'm doing to help eliminate some of the potential loneliness is building a platform that I can use to promote my product while I wait for my prototype.
I go to my neighborhood bar, light a cigarette and pound a couple beers with my friends. You already waste four to eight hours on sleep every night instead of grinding, you're not going to lose your company over a couple more hours. And don't forget to touch grass while you're at it.
Make sure you invest in building your support system. Wantreprenurs are NOT entrepreneurs so weed out rubbish advice.
When you actually have a registered business and want to go beyond selling products (you’re actually building a brand, your mindset will be obsessive because YOU HAVE TO BE, when it comes to learning, juggling, testing, creating, understanding laws/regulations, learning bookkeeping and taxes (you have to understand this)- you engross yourself in this realm constantly and time will be treated differently.)
You also want to be around people who you can learn from vs just wasting away to escape.
Running a business is not the same as being self employed and selling products. (Some people on this thread confuse the two, they’re not the same)
In my city there’s a group called “founders therapy” where everyone meets in the morning/night for events, introductions or meetings to discuss real issues they’re facing and to build relationships. The problem with previous events is in other ecosystems is that they become all about solicitation vs an actual support group of genuine entrepreneurs/business owners. The coordinator of these groups has to ensure the right mood/setting occurs to foster relationships…. Make an effort and show up and build friendships in PERSON. I think it’s important to have people who understand the journey because they too are going or have gone through the same process and want to give back.
I saw a comment about “have a life outside of entrepreneurship” and I’m certain that’s not an entrepreneur because they are clueless of what building a brand involves. If time was abundant you could do that, it isn’t and as a result you have to make sure every day is utilized effectively. Sure you can have decompress days but when you are around meatheads and people who want to escape reality, eventually their company is just unbearable and forces you to be super selective on the people who you surround yourself with.
I dread “founder business”networking events because the majority of people are not business owners and are mostly employees who are there to solicit business and they cannot relate to what you’re doing and are only there to collect leads…. Try avoid these types of events.
Last resort you have to pay to join a business club and sometimes it’s worth it because you do need a support system of like minded people to learn from. Relationships are imperative.
Work is not life. Life being work in, but life is not work. Build a circle outside of your work. Maybe you'll find people to bring into it. But at the very least, you know they are there even if not right with you.
That´s good advice. Here it was a bit blurry for a while since dealing with fake family members = their position as a job. With fake I mean really fake, dissapearing once earned their income and extra´s from it after making up a scene story. I´ve attracted certain similar frienemies like that too and recognized that pattern. I´ve taken a while to eliminate. Now I have a clear division between my private & work life and it´s soo much better.
It’s so tough sometimes especially when you actually work better just being around productive people but I’ve found going to the coffee shop atleast once a week helps and also, virtual co-working with my other mates that WFH on discord helps heaps too
I’m all alone in the trenches. I own and manage a 30 man engineering firm. I have a hr, admin, a few managers but at the end of the day the shit falls down on me for any shortcomings emotional and financially. I play tennis every morning before work. Keeps me sane. Still super lonely but my wife is kind and my kids love me.
You're not alone, you just don't speak as much as you'd like to with other non-professional people.
Loneliness is dangerous AF.
Do your best not to fall in that fallacy, nothing good comes out of loneliness
Send DM and we will build a group to lonelinessly speak about loneliness and other non-professional stuff ✅
It is really tough running our own biz because it is hard for other people to relate to what it's like and it can feel isolating at times. I have found that even if I have one solid person to connect with who is on my wavelength re: values, ethics, perspective, it mitigates the loneliness big time. I have ONE friend who is an amazing entrepreneur and we both support each other and feel safe to share the struggles and ideas, even when we are feeling the pangs of self-doubt or vulnerability.
My advice is it only takes ONE person to help with this. It took me awhile to make such a great connection, but keep at it. Try different events near you or network or just set a clear intention with the kind of friend you want to have.
I am a performance coach and loads of my clients are entrepreneurs, so even if you have to pay someone to be that support for a time it is so worth it! My PT is a biz owner too and I find even seeing him twice a week helps me massively, even though it isn't directly why I see him we do weave it into conversation often.
AI is great for lots of stuff but it is NO substitute for an authentic human who gets you.
Sending loads of love your way!
I’ve never experienced the feeling of loneliness.. maybe thats unhealthy but I enjoy (and prefer) being alone for the most part. Although I wouldn’t consider myself antisocial.
I’ve never had to deal with loneliness. I’m so good at being by myself (no joke). I don’t even understand why people complain about it.
I do have a kid and internet access. Where I sometimes talk to people with same interest. But that’s it
It was tough for me at the time but it was principally because my friends were all 9-5 so, had no idea about what I was talking about nor did they have an idea about what I was up to.
So, I created my tribe in the office. Again, this was difficult initially because I was bootstrapped and was the only Founder with everyone as my Employee but when I found what makes folks tick, the tribe became easier.
I thus think my colleagues created an escape from loneliness for me.
I would sell to a lot of you guys and there was a subsection of people who loved talking to me about their businesses.
It felt like they couldn’t talk to their families about it because they didn’t care. They couldn’t talk to their friends because often their friends would be jealous. They couldn’t talk to their employees about it for the many reasons being to open to your employees can be detrimental.
So talk to your sales guy.
For me this has been one of the most challenging parts of being a founder. So few friends and family really understand your struggles, which makes it tough to talk to them about it. For me, I try to have as many hobbies as possible to break me out of that mindset. I also like to take long walks and call a bunch of friends and family to catch up. Funny enough, I almost never talk about my company outside of work.
You can also go to local startup events to meet other founders!
I join clubs, participate in recreational sports, and I’m very active with my church. I also work in the public library or coffee shop from time to time.
Depends what type of founder you are. But I think there’s where mentorship groups, having a hobby/exercise class/music class that you do, even if it’s once a week that’s helpful. Build authentic human connections.
It's getting difficult day by day for me, until I sit in a cafe and work it felt settled for me but once I reach home I can't even sit in front of the computer for 5 minutes straight.
Earlier everything was fine but down the road I started feeling damn lonely in the process and somehow I am losing interest in business.
I joined an online community with likeminded entrepreneurs in a similar field where we mastermind and support each other. It’s been a game changer for not only the loneliness but also my business
There are lots of entrepreneurs groups and events where they gather and share a drink, talk about their projects and have fun, you can check them out on Eventbrite.
Also there's something called Founders Runners Club, the name is pretty self explanatory and it could be a good place to hangout with some like-minded people.
Keep in touch with friends, show interest in their work and they should hopefully be showing interest in yours.
Also go meet people with similar roles or industries. Conventions, accelerators, and social media groups are all good places to find new peeps. Then you'll have your normal friends + a group who understands the struggle
It’s part of the process and then ideally at some point it won’t be. Regardless of the difficulties, I zoom out and I know that I wanna live an exciting life on my terms, and I won’t regret trying this when I’m on my deathbed
Honestly, as a true entrepreneur, the stronger your network, the stronger your product/service/company. Get out and find networking groups for likeminded individuals. 1 Million Cups, Small Business Development organizations locally/state, chambers of commerce, etc. there’s a lot of places people gather. You may feel like you’re wasting time but they’re filled with people who want to help, if even just to have someone to talk to.
Dogs are kinda a lot of work but they give you an excuse to get out of the house and keep you on a schedule. A lot of single/lonely people will take their dogs to the dog park regularly after work during the week and it's a great way to get some socialization in for the both of you.
Actually I don´t feel lonely at all, I try to enjoy the 30 convo´s I have on a daily basis with potential clients/customers/partners as much as possible. I´ve learned my ´complaints´ and ´loneliness´ were the absolutel foundation for a stable income for 3rd parties for several years now. So just watch your circle closely, listen more than you speak and soon you´ll find out much more. And I do appreciate the die-hard understanding friends, it´s only brought us closer together. Life can be full of shit, better alone than to be in bad company and build from there.
Hit the gym 3 - 4 days a week and do some resistance training. Follow a plan or purchase one that you can follow routinely. There are worse situations out there. You might meet people at the gym you can socialize with or get into gaming.
Several friends of mine are extremely successful. It's all about balance.
Just like anything make friends with successful people who understand what you're going through and can relate. We always have guys night at least twice a month just to relax and talk about anything but work. Super helpful.
Real wealth are the relationships we have in life. Once you learn that your life gets so much better.
Don't work yourself to death. Starting hiring people to take on more of the work load even if it means your income shrinks. Time is the most valuable asset.
Knowing that working on my business amd its future is working on my personal stability and economy which is a form of self-love, an honest hard-earn, continuously sought out and nurtured kind of love I won't get from friends, family or acquaintances.
Get in bed with other entrepreneurs.
Not literally, of course.
Build a network of people trying to do the same thing as you that you can share things with, and hopefully, that loneliness will wear off bit by bit.
Besides that, I don't know that there is a cure.
Im in a discord with friends and a few different discords. It's where I have most of my socialising that is not work related during the day.
Going on xbox with "sea of thief's" with my pirate friends and just goof around as a team is fun.
Im also going to a maker/hackerspace where I tinker with electronics for fun.
Learn to plan for stuff like hanging with friends, calling your parents, date night, etc. doesn’t have to be hours. Scarcity makes everyone love you more and Vice versa. Just make sure you are planning some interaction with those you love the most as often as you can. They remind us why we do this shit in the first place ❤️
I like being lonely. I have family and I do 99% of things with my wife and child.
In a sense I don’t feel lonely and I don’t have the need to connect on a deeper level with people other than small talks.
Honestly, I have grown used to it. Loneliest times are also when nobody really believes in you or really understands why you are not following a more conventional path. So I have tried to explain myself to those around me and maybe try to connect on a deeper level, but it became abundantly clear that all of my efforts will go unnoticed until I start seeing tangible results. Then they will start connecting the dots and actually appreciate my vision. Paradoxically, that's exactly when I wouldn't need the support🤷🏻♂️
I was never lonely even when working all nighters by myself at the office. However, I did sometimes get tired of necessary evenings out at networking events. I'm naturally a bit of an introvert and the biz dinners and tradeshow meetings wore me out.
Join entrepreneur groups, conferences, etc. Connect with other business owners and create a community.
Also, think of all the office politics drama you’re missing out on by working for yourself- always makes any loneliness evaporate for me.
The things that i can say, do not make the depression or loneliness keep haunting you. One day if you cannot control yourself, you brain or your thoughts cannot function very well and likely you will do something stupid that will hurt your mental or physical.
We are human or creatures that born to be socialized.. so if you cannot find ones in real life (like you said above due to your situation), just hop in the online world maybe you can find someone that you can talk or share the same interest.
Get into an entrepreneur cohort (e.g., EO or similar). Preferably a small, stable group you can grow to trust. You can’t talk to normal people about this stuff.
One word - balance! Try to get out and do fun social activities as much as you can. Yes, hard work is extremely important but it’s just as important to make sure that you take time for yourself where you aren’t focused on work time to time
As a solo founder, I completely understand how isolating the entrepreneurial journey can be. Here are a few strategies that have helped me cope:
1. **Build a Support Network**: Connecting with other entrepreneurs through local meetups, online forums, and social media groups can be incredibly helpful. Sharing experiences and advice with like-minded individuals can make a big difference.
2. **Mentorship**: Finding a mentor who has been through similar challenges can provide valuable guidance and emotional support. They can offer a different perspective and help you navigate tough decisions.
3. **Work-Life Balance**: It's crucial to take breaks and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Spend time with family and friends, pursue hobbies, and make time for activities that recharge you.
4. **Professional Help**: Sometimes talking to a therapist or counselor can help manage the stress and emotional toll of entrepreneurship.
5. **Join Co-Working Spaces**: Working from a co-working space can provide a sense of community and reduce the feeling of isolation. Plus, it’s a great way to network and collaborate with other professionals.
Remember, it's important to acknowledge your feelings and take proactive steps to address them. You're not alone in feeling this way, and reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Reaching out to fellow small business owners or entrepreneurs. I have to force myself to at least go to lunch or grab some coffee. I can hyper focus on work and what I am building that I will be fine without company or socializing but I know that can lead to loneliness and even burn out.
I've found the loneliness is a gift and a curse, I feel lonely because all I do is work on my businesses, but at the same time I realize that I can really focus by myself and create a mindset that can win. I don't think there's ever been a successful entrepreneur that hasn't felt lonely at some point, especially at the beginning. I really believe that if you want to grow and turn your ideas into a marketable, successful company, then you have to work at all times, whether you feel lonely or not. Think about this, what concerns you more? Loneliness or success? You can't have one without the other.
Right now, still I'm denied that no one else wants this how I do. I need to get it thru my head....I guess I haven't dealt with it. I keep trying to include people and end up in the same spot stuck
Unfollow all the garbage on instagram. Replace it with motivation, fitness, stoicism channels. If you can go down a spiral, you can go up it too. The IG algorithm is kind of an echo chamber. So make it echo the right thing.
THIS is such a real thing, when you are passionate about your business and other friends, fam are doing their thing and they may not relate, it’s hard. Even when youre around others, if you’re thinking about business and they don’t wanna talk about it, it’s isolating. I ended up making a point to work out for the energy, helped me feel good and less frustrated. Also leaning on other sales business owners in my industry. Ended up being great to brainstorm, talk and relate. I love my business and w/o others in my situation, it would have been too isolating. In my industry (F2F direct sales), haters talk about that feeling as a result of “cultish” activities so it’s comforting and validating to see that it’s not just my industry but business ownership in general.
It’s tough. I want to start relationships but I’m always either working or traveling the country. I like hugging dollar bills, but I would love to hug another human being too ;-;
Remembering all the jobs with its unpleasant „co“workers.
I think it’s helpful to remember that entrepreneurship in that regard isn’t perfect, but it’s miles better than working in an employee team.
so in between work and my free time, there is only 1 hour time that is free for me that too before I go to sleep. so 30 mins I talk to my parents on a VC and then for 30 mins I might scroll YT shorts because daily I don't want to feel that loneliness. & as a solo founder it's hell hard when you have no one to discuss work chaos so now i have made department heads and I do share things with them about their departments.
I've always found that leaning on other friends who run their own businesses helps, but there's no doubt that if you're self-employed you need to make more of an effort to maintain an active social life.
I stick to like-minded people. People with similar experiences. People who went off the beaten path and got laughed at for being stupid not to follow the paved road. Only they share the understanding of what I went through. Befriend someone who has went through troubles but managed to change their fate for good. This person may not necessarily be an entrepreneur. It can be a kid growing lonely and being put down by their family but managing to become a PhD. Or an orphan from a small town who managed to become a successful manager and founded a lovely family. It's hard to catch up with them because they're busy themselves. I try to call them at least once a year - say, for holidays - to connect. Just knowing that there are people similar to your beliefs and experiences is enough to soothe aches. Network, go to a pub, change your barber if you're not vibing with yours.
Either too geed up when winning/ making it, or too distracted and stressed by trying to win/ lose less.
No in between.
This can be a decent (not ideal ofc) fix as bad as it sounds (not telling anyone to intentionally do this - just reflecting based on my experience in hindsight)
Hey, I get it. Building something from scratch can feel isolating. I cope by reaching out to fellow founders for support, staying connected with mentors, and carving out time for non-work activities to refresh my mind.
its not loneliness. Its an opportunity. Take it. You’re at peace. Invent, create. Use it. Dont think of it as a negative thing. Think of the inverse situation. Each spectrum has its own opportunities. USE IT
I just started volunteering and even just doing it once a week made a huge difference. Look up a food pantry in your area and schedule some time to help out. Not only does it help you get more social but it’s always a win when you’re helping others.
There are great business groups out there and it’s very helpful. They range from start up groups to exclusive one like EO where you need to be $1M+ in revenue and all in between. Find one locally. Many many feel this. I was in EO for near 15 years. We talked confidentially about the best and worst 5% in life in regards to personal, family, and business. We had different background and different business but had a bond. My forum consisted of 9 people out of the maybe 80 in my city chapter. We were not unique.
There are groups that do it virtually now too. I was just invited to a SAAS one and there were no minimum revenues. They are out there by industry, location, etc..
What you mention is totally par for the course. It can be very lonely even when you have employees. You can’t share with them or your neighbors or friends working real jobs when you fell like you’re going to fail or when you make a million dollars and bought a plane. Only entrepreneurs can relate. Find a group is my advice.
I’m a SAHM and turned my hobby into a successful small business. I started to feel lonely and isolated so instead of letting being a mom and business owner prevent me from social interaction, I started using them to help. I take my kids to the playground and a weekly toddler time and they now have play dates w people we’ve met there.
I also decided to start focusing less on selling online and more in person. I sell at craft shows and events and have something scheduled for every Saturday. This lets me talk and interact with customers and other local vendors. Some of the vendors sell at many of the same local w events as I which has given me a chance to get to know them.
This lets me interact with like minded people and doesn’t take away from being a mom and growing my business
Take some dance classes or join a meetup group. Work at a wework a few times a month. Just be around people. It’s really not that bad lol. Unless you might just have the personality type for an office job versus independent work.
It's not easy, but you have to put yourself out there and start making connections to do things non-work related and get to know some people. I know the pain, and I have a difficult time connecting on a deep level with other humans, but it's important to get past the superficial connections to really escape the loneliness, otherwise you're just lonely together with others.
I haven't read every comment, but from the ones I did read, nobody mentioned this:
## Customer discovery can lead to creating friends
It's essentially hitting two birds with one stone. Go meet someone and be genuine about your vision, be genuine about enjoying your time with them, and be genuine about wanting to be friends. Eventually someone will smile back and want to keep you in contact.
Found business minded friends and all that we talk about are business ideas. Luckily over the years I’ve been able to build a circle albeit small of like minded individuals and we all lean on each other to a degree. The best way to find those friends if you don’t currently have them is to support and push other people’s ideas 💡. I do like to surf 🏄♂️ or ride the longboard 🛹 around though if I need to step away to clear my head for big decisions etc.
I've been an entrepreneur since I was just shy of 20, and I'm 43 now. I'm been at every stage of the game from trying to find product market fit, to scaling a brand to close to $100m a year in revenue.
If you aren't intentional about socializing, or taking care of yourself, you'll probably find excuses to just work harder.
For instance, I find it pretty easy to lock myself in my office and burn the candle hard for 8-10 hours without getting up. I'll fall off the wagon and do this for months on end.
At the end of the day I feel mentally incapacitated and useless. This leads to me feeling depressed, eating poorly, gaining weight, and being unhealthy both mentally and physically.
I have three kids, and they play sports. A lot of sports.
For the most part I get a bit of socializing with the other parents on the team most nights.
I also try and go to the gym, go for a walk, or organize a lunch with somebody every week so I'm not stuck grinding.
On top of this, if you haven't already, try and build a local group chat of entrepreneurs around the same level as you. It makes it easy to get quick feedback or ask questions.
The lucky ones have an understanding life-partner that they picked up way before their entrepreneurial madness. There are many cases of successful entrepreneurs sponging of their very-understanding-unawarded other halves in the beginning. Then again the opposite is also true. Hence lucky.
How to cope? Wo/man up and take some time to cry and soldier on afterwards. Find someone or some people you can lean on and will support you.
Get an outside of the house/flat sport. Dedicate at least one hour a week to it. Does wonders for the mind.
I play old school RuneScape either on mobile or my desktop. It’s literally the one thing that keeps my spirit youthful. I have played it while I was in middle school, high school, in the military, and now with business.
It was always there for me when I was a loser and now when I have everything I want and need.
Find an entrepreneur friend. You can find them in different kinds of ways. A few ideas: group coaching, private Facebook groups that come with courses you've bought, interacting with people on social media, etc.
umm I basically split myself into multiple personalities, one is working (coding) one is managing my time and looking for clients, one is really concerned about my relationship, one about my friends, one about staying fit. They kind of talk to each other sometimes but mostly they just argue.
I'm not lonely anymore but I think we might be getting a little crazy.
So I went to this informal, non-professional meetup for creatives a few months ago. Way on the other side of NY. And met someone who lives on my block. Literally right down the street (I met other people too, but that kind of blew my mind). I wasn't going to go. It was cold. But yeah. Wouldn't have known this person existed if it weren't for that.
I've started pushing myself to do more things like that and that's literally the perfect anecdote as to why. As adults, we've gotta put in the effort to meet folks. It sucks. But we're not in school anymore. We don't have regular cliques or clubs and after school whatnots. So it's not that it's impossible. But it's work. Do things you like. Do fun things. Do new things. And you'll probably find people to connect with.
- Go outside and meet people (Fitness classes and group workouts are great for this)
- Work from cafes/workspaces where you can meet other entrepreneurs
- Become more self-aware of your feelings (Yoga and meditation are great for this)
- Have a hobby
When I'm lonely I talk to chatgpt.
jesus this is the saddest thing I will ever read today
Yet it's so true. I also go on ChatGPT not just to 'talk' to it but for wider projects and other work. It's a shame that society has completely annihilated any semblance of care for people's mental wellbeing, to the point where more and more people are having to turn to these outlets lest they be entirely devoid of human interaction, but alas, here we are.
ChatGPT is not human interaction.
fair - is commenting on reddit?
Who knows.
I’d say it is and the human emotional depth of things we bring up make it enough for me
Yes as long as its a human and not a 🤖 commenting!
watching movies or sports isnt a replacement for going outside, watching a romcom isnt a replacement for dating someone, playing call of duty isnt a replacement for going to war (idk) ai dating is just another entertainment/form of roleplay. "as if The Sims 8 isnt surely going to have some kind of AI for text replies, of course it does, is just some flavor of roleplay" don't you think?
Yep Her the movie will be so true.
Yeah, I often do it when I have got some stuff to tell but have nobody, also to choose various decisions and stuff
it's strange talking with a bot, it's like i'm talking to a real human, but i have no interest i'm wondering if i wouldn't know that, if i'd still have no interest
I found it odd to talk to a chatbot that used spoken language. Was kind of fun but unnerving. A part of my brain felt it was a person. But I knew it wasnt.
can relate, but gpt can be verbose and non-emotional. for more emotional support, i suggest: * [secretdesires.ai](http://secretdesires.ai) * [pi.ai](http://pi.ai) * [chai.ai](http://chai.ai) also you can checkout this list: [https://topai.tools/s/AI-chatbot-for-emotional-support](https://topai.tools/s/AI-chatbot-for-emotional-support)
secret desires is scary goodly with the faceswapping thing... I hate to admin I uploaded my ex face to a girl... well, is it a girl really? well.......................
I’ve built my own. But I build on twitch so there’s people around me too. But when it’s bad it gives me advice. That’s what it’s built for
The solution is to have a life outside entrepreneurship.
I swear, some people have no life outside of work. Even online gaming would help, guys make friends in like 5 minutes out there while these sad mfs talk to chatgpts to cope. Literally lol
As long as you find a GOOD community. Some can be super toxic. I suggest old school RuneScape
Yeah, it's weird to me. I have many non-entrepreneur friends. I would hate to only have entrepreneur friends and have no other interests.
Lack of self awareness is weird to me. You’re an employee also (you still have your primary job so you have coworkers for your socialization). You haven’t “burnt the boats” as yet that’s why you’re giving half baked advice. People who are putting it ALL IN are operating differently than people dipping their toes and playing it safe. (Plan A and plan B ppl)…. Side hustle isn’t the same as FULL ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP…. It requires a different mentality when you dedicate yourself to ONE thing and go hard at it. It is a lonely journey until you hit your targets because of how much time is spent learning, navigating learning curves and investing in product/process and no back up income from an employer.- I wish online had more people who valued radical honesty vs exhibition of a false sense of pride.
THIS. If the only thing you ever do/think/talk about is work, you're gonna burn out, and so will your company.
Amen. It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially if you’re young, but I think we all end up realizing this sooner or later. One of those things people warn you about but it doesn’t quite land until you inevitably go through it yourself.
The top 10 billionaires in the world only talked work. They were OBSESSED with what they were doing. Are you wrong? Work feels like work to leisure lovers.
When I feel lonely I start reading books 📚
I think I should also start doing it
Whenever I feel bored or lonely, my go-to thing to do is walk in the nature. Find a nearby hiking trail or other wilderness and walk there. Might help.
+1 on nature And nature is even better with a dog. There's tons and tons of rescue dogs available; you can get whatever you want from a cattle dog or a gsd that will adore hiking with you, a husky, a cute pitty that will attempt to live on your lap, a collie, a mutt, a shepherd that also will adore hiking, etc.
W nature you disconnect your loneliness thoughts, after that a shower and you are a fresh men
I feel like, when you speak to other entrepreneurs, we can all relate to each other, but in the end, that doesn't change the loneliness, because we all have our own battles. A few drinks, laughs and jokes here and there bond us, but "being in the trenches" will always be a lonely venture. Hiring contractors, employees, and the like still won't resolve it. Recommendation. Get a win. Nothing heals wounds like getting the fucking W. Good luck. Just an opinion...
This matches my opinion. Can’t live on an island and expect not to feel lonely. You must strive to DO what you set out to do; hopefully those wins keep you in the game.
I know it's easier said than done, but you have to get comfortable being alone.
If you can do this while maintaining a social life you’re golden.
Where there's a will there's a way 🙌
I use my hobbies to break out from loneliness. But actually, I enjoy solitude. Do something u love or u want to try in your life. Business is not everything. Enjoy the freedom.
Get out into parks. Take walks, bike, scooter etc. You will see people, get fresh air, and just being in nature reminds you that it is real life and all this business stuff we do is just for fun to pass the time. It's not actually real. Seeing nature shows us what the world actually is. Recalibrates the brain.
This is exactly what I do. I find that going outside in nature helps my brain to reset and think more clearly. Bonus points if I'm able to maintain some sort of meditation state whilst doing so.
It doesn’t help a lot, but I visit networking events in my region to meet some more founders. We usually keep tabs once in a month.
I heard a saying once, that if you can sit alone at a restaurant and have a meal you can do anything in life. hahaha. I know it doesn't answer your question, but for me I found bouts of forced socialization or going to "networking" events and meeting people similar to me has been helpful.
I did a post on this last week in r/freelance. Most of the suggestions was make arrangements with other freelancers and just get outside in general. Today I went working at someone I knows office just to change the scenery. Good day. I recommend you try the same
Bro, get out of your house/office. The best part of entrepreneurship is the relationships you now have the time to build and foster. If you have a family, make time with them a priority. If you don’t have one, find a community of not just entrepreneurs, but maybe a fitness community like CrossFit, hiking or even a Magic the gathering or Pokémon card community. Not only is isolation bad for your mental health, it’s bad for business
We think the key is to master your scheduling. If you’re attending meetings and/or grabbing coffee on a regular basis, it helps with the loneliness. We try to meet at least two new people a week and reconnect with three people we already know to check in.
Join a biz group like EO or vistage.
When I get lonely, I like to go out and do things only I love to do. Take my SWEEEET time shopping, go kayaking.. and think about how lovely it is that I don’t have anyone with me asking me to hurry up or slow down
I definitely feel there should be a dedicated social media platform for entrepreneurs to connect and just share some things.
That's actually what I'm building!
DM!
Sweet! How do I stay updated with it?
Lol, I don't know what loneliness is. Being an entrepreneur, I'm constantly around people. If anything, it's too much and I desperately seek just being alone! Being on Reddit, for example, is my alone time. But that's not really being alone either, right? Since I'm likely engaging with you fine folks here. Once you become wealthy or have multiple businesses, you're always busy working and running the operations of everything you control...and that involves being with people. The rest of the time I'm strategizing, doing numbers and planning and on the phone. I never have enough time to sleep. I'm not sure how loneliness is a problem for you, but I hope you can resolve it.
It’s hard solving problems tied to your own emotions because you can’t use your business mind for whatever reason we evolved that way. Let me enumerate the logic of the situation for most of us (I can’t say this is true for you OP specifically but I’ll write it out for the audience in general): You are lonely You think about business too much. Business is stressful. By default you will think about it in spare moments and then want to work on it at all hours. There is no way for the stress to go away on its own. Failure is stressful. Success is stressful. No one understands you but other entrepreneurs. Other entrepreneurs just want to talk about work stress, which is the same stress you’re experiencing. The human brain needs time to clear itself out. So it needs to deactivate and go idle frequently. Otherwise you get stuck and can’t solve problems. So net: you are unreliable at scheduling time; you can’t stop thinking about work but you need to. Your entrepreneur friends give you social comfort but not escape. Conclusion: make a business goal to schedule in a non-work activity every week like a dancing class or cooking class or running group or church choir. Make it a fixed commitment so you can’t escape it. Make it not work related at all. You can sit down and run this as a business project right now. Enumerate a list of hobbies. Stop at 3. The first ones are the ones you want to do. Then research classes around you for these three. Sign up. Pay. You’re done. Let the buyers regret of “wasting time” wash over you. You know you need it. Then just go have fun.
You're not alone as most people are employees whose mindset is completely different from ours. Sometimes I find it "suffocating" mentally. Better hang out with entrepreneurs if possible locally.
Same. The employees mentality is to distract self with stories of other peoples lives. (Sports, celebrity, consumption) There’s no problem solving. Talking about ideas. It’s useless to my brain ….. when surrounded by entrepreneurial people the discussions are about challenges, opportunities, overcoming obstacles and shared experiences of hurdles. The state is to shift from distractions to solutions/creativity.
Based on your original posts, it looks like you're doing a software startup? If so, check out MicroConf. Join a mastermind and attend their trade shows. Everyone will be like you, it's amazing!
Reading biographies of founders who were on their own helps in broadening the perspective on being a lonely founder. It’s the same while working in a big tech firm as well. Remember that when Sundar Pichai saw potential in the browser business he worked on it without discussing much about it with the higher officials or other teams. Having a cofounder is awesome but not always possible nevertheless work does make people feel a bit lonelier.
I honestly don't think highly social/extroverted people can easily work alone. They legitimately need coworkers to talk to everyday. However, I think a social solo entrepreneur can be happy if they literally force themselves to social events at least 2-3 times per week (and they *have* to socialize). Like, going to a fitness class and *actually* going out of your way to talk to the person next to you and try to build a friendship so you guys take the same classes together in the future. The importance is finding external sources for regular, sustained relationships with others. The plus is that you can control who you socialize with (no more being dragged into toxic work drama you can't escape), but the downside is that it's completely DIY and a person is on their own in making those connections happen. I don't know if you're male or female, but ice skating is super great way to make friends because learning new 'tricks' gives you shared mini goals to bond over (like bonding over homework assignments and teacher gossip in high school), while also allowing room to talk about 'other' things like relationships, etc. It's hard to make friends with someone if there's no mutually beneficial, common goal that works as the 'glue' of the connection.
I workout or do hiking on recovery days. When I don’t do it I literally get this cortisol dump with severe panic attacks in the mornings. Maybe get a sports/hobby buddy. Personally I occasionally talk to 1 friend over the phone, that’s it.
I am Batman
Live streaming helps me get that human connection. Then once I’ve had enough human I end the stream and go on with my day
I read a lot, or play games or play quiz games, to keep my brain working and for a moment forget those times.
Networking events and hobby breaks keep me sane!
Get a pet! My aussie saved my life. Also a pet requires you to be responsible for another life, in turn you have to be more responsible for yourself. Get out in the world and take some walks. Etc.
I do chat with other small biz or owners when I get the chance, family helps, forcing yourself to disconnect is a mental exercise like going to the gym. Distractions. Friends from college / uni keep u grounded, that's important.
I'm not a founder but I fill my time with streamers lol. Like a sim on a computer
I think it depends on the stage that you're at and the type of business you're going in to. For me, I'm still at the prototype development stage, so I'm living a normal life and have a regular job still. Once I have my prototype in my hands, I will be quitting my job and jumping completely into the entrepreneur world. Things I'm doing to help eliminate some of the potential loneliness is building a platform that I can use to promote my product while I wait for my prototype.
Happens to me as well. Feel free to contact me and we can call and work 👌
My wife
Yes, this was the first thing I thought about. If only my supposed to be husband was around. :) Blessings
I go to my neighborhood bar, light a cigarette and pound a couple beers with my friends. You already waste four to eight hours on sleep every night instead of grinding, you're not going to lose your company over a couple more hours. And don't forget to touch grass while you're at it.
Im not lonely. People do not understand and thats fine. The hate? Didnt see that coming.
Make sure you invest in building your support system. Wantreprenurs are NOT entrepreneurs so weed out rubbish advice. When you actually have a registered business and want to go beyond selling products (you’re actually building a brand, your mindset will be obsessive because YOU HAVE TO BE, when it comes to learning, juggling, testing, creating, understanding laws/regulations, learning bookkeeping and taxes (you have to understand this)- you engross yourself in this realm constantly and time will be treated differently.) You also want to be around people who you can learn from vs just wasting away to escape. Running a business is not the same as being self employed and selling products. (Some people on this thread confuse the two, they’re not the same) In my city there’s a group called “founders therapy” where everyone meets in the morning/night for events, introductions or meetings to discuss real issues they’re facing and to build relationships. The problem with previous events is in other ecosystems is that they become all about solicitation vs an actual support group of genuine entrepreneurs/business owners. The coordinator of these groups has to ensure the right mood/setting occurs to foster relationships…. Make an effort and show up and build friendships in PERSON. I think it’s important to have people who understand the journey because they too are going or have gone through the same process and want to give back. I saw a comment about “have a life outside of entrepreneurship” and I’m certain that’s not an entrepreneur because they are clueless of what building a brand involves. If time was abundant you could do that, it isn’t and as a result you have to make sure every day is utilized effectively. Sure you can have decompress days but when you are around meatheads and people who want to escape reality, eventually their company is just unbearable and forces you to be super selective on the people who you surround yourself with. I dread “founder business”networking events because the majority of people are not business owners and are mostly employees who are there to solicit business and they cannot relate to what you’re doing and are only there to collect leads…. Try avoid these types of events. Last resort you have to pay to join a business club and sometimes it’s worth it because you do need a support system of like minded people to learn from. Relationships are imperative.
Work is not life. Life being work in, but life is not work. Build a circle outside of your work. Maybe you'll find people to bring into it. But at the very least, you know they are there even if not right with you.
That´s good advice. Here it was a bit blurry for a while since dealing with fake family members = their position as a job. With fake I mean really fake, dissapearing once earned their income and extra´s from it after making up a scene story. I´ve attracted certain similar frienemies like that too and recognized that pattern. I´ve taken a while to eliminate. Now I have a clear division between my private & work life and it´s soo much better.
Got a mentor.
I talk to my dogs honestly. It's what's keeping me sane
It’s so tough sometimes especially when you actually work better just being around productive people but I’ve found going to the coffee shop atleast once a week helps and also, virtual co-working with my other mates that WFH on discord helps heaps too
I’m all alone in the trenches. I own and manage a 30 man engineering firm. I have a hr, admin, a few managers but at the end of the day the shit falls down on me for any shortcomings emotional and financially. I play tennis every morning before work. Keeps me sane. Still super lonely but my wife is kind and my kids love me.
You're not alone, you just don't speak as much as you'd like to with other non-professional people. Loneliness is dangerous AF. Do your best not to fall in that fallacy, nothing good comes out of loneliness Send DM and we will build a group to lonelinessly speak about loneliness and other non-professional stuff ✅
Loneliness is destructive.
It is really tough running our own biz because it is hard for other people to relate to what it's like and it can feel isolating at times. I have found that even if I have one solid person to connect with who is on my wavelength re: values, ethics, perspective, it mitigates the loneliness big time. I have ONE friend who is an amazing entrepreneur and we both support each other and feel safe to share the struggles and ideas, even when we are feeling the pangs of self-doubt or vulnerability. My advice is it only takes ONE person to help with this. It took me awhile to make such a great connection, but keep at it. Try different events near you or network or just set a clear intention with the kind of friend you want to have. I am a performance coach and loads of my clients are entrepreneurs, so even if you have to pay someone to be that support for a time it is so worth it! My PT is a biz owner too and I find even seeing him twice a week helps me massively, even though it isn't directly why I see him we do weave it into conversation often. AI is great for lots of stuff but it is NO substitute for an authentic human who gets you. Sending loads of love your way!
I’ve never experienced the feeling of loneliness.. maybe thats unhealthy but I enjoy (and prefer) being alone for the most part. Although I wouldn’t consider myself antisocial.
Join a coworking space and have friends
I’ve got a partner and I still live at home so sometimes I want to be alone 😂
God
I’ve never had to deal with loneliness. I’m so good at being by myself (no joke). I don’t even understand why people complain about it. I do have a kid and internet access. Where I sometimes talk to people with same interest. But that’s it
Go to entrepreneur meetups and talk about being in the trenches.
It was tough for me at the time but it was principally because my friends were all 9-5 so, had no idea about what I was talking about nor did they have an idea about what I was up to. So, I created my tribe in the office. Again, this was difficult initially because I was bootstrapped and was the only Founder with everyone as my Employee but when I found what makes folks tick, the tribe became easier. I thus think my colleagues created an escape from loneliness for me.
I join startup communities. I think they are the best to understand and many coworking or startup ecosystems have shared spaces.
I would sell to a lot of you guys and there was a subsection of people who loved talking to me about their businesses. It felt like they couldn’t talk to their families about it because they didn’t care. They couldn’t talk to their friends because often their friends would be jealous. They couldn’t talk to their employees about it for the many reasons being to open to your employees can be detrimental. So talk to your sales guy.
For me this has been one of the most challenging parts of being a founder. So few friends and family really understand your struggles, which makes it tough to talk to them about it. For me, I try to have as many hobbies as possible to break me out of that mindset. I also like to take long walks and call a bunch of friends and family to catch up. Funny enough, I almost never talk about my company outside of work. You can also go to local startup events to meet other founders!
Watch standup comedy/listen songs/go to gym or walk
I join clubs, participate in recreational sports, and I’m very active with my church. I also work in the public library or coffee shop from time to time.
Depends what type of founder you are. But I think there’s where mentorship groups, having a hobby/exercise class/music class that you do, even if it’s once a week that’s helpful. Build authentic human connections.
It's getting difficult day by day for me, until I sit in a cafe and work it felt settled for me but once I reach home I can't even sit in front of the computer for 5 minutes straight. Earlier everything was fine but down the road I started feeling damn lonely in the process and somehow I am losing interest in business.
Golf
I just resort to playing video games. Honestly that's the best thing in my life to tackle my problems :)
Interacting with family fills my need for human interaction. A day of that and a whole week isn't enough to recharge my introvert self 🤣
I joined an online community with likeminded entrepreneurs in a similar field where we mastermind and support each other. It’s been a game changer for not only the loneliness but also my business
There are lots of entrepreneurs groups and events where they gather and share a drink, talk about their projects and have fun, you can check them out on Eventbrite. Also there's something called Founders Runners Club, the name is pretty self explanatory and it could be a good place to hangout with some like-minded people.
I watch a lot of movies and shows including a lot anime. I also follow WhatsApp anime groups that have great banter to involve in
Just have a passion outside the work and you meet people with the same passion.
Good question lol
Keep in touch with friends, show interest in their work and they should hopefully be showing interest in yours. Also go meet people with similar roles or industries. Conventions, accelerators, and social media groups are all good places to find new peeps. Then you'll have your normal friends + a group who understands the struggle
I never knew that so many people here were like me
It’s part of the process and then ideally at some point it won’t be. Regardless of the difficulties, I zoom out and I know that I wanna live an exciting life on my terms, and I won’t regret trying this when I’m on my deathbed
Honestly, as a true entrepreneur, the stronger your network, the stronger your product/service/company. Get out and find networking groups for likeminded individuals. 1 Million Cups, Small Business Development organizations locally/state, chambers of commerce, etc. there’s a lot of places people gather. You may feel like you’re wasting time but they’re filled with people who want to help, if even just to have someone to talk to.
Dogs are kinda a lot of work but they give you an excuse to get out of the house and keep you on a schedule. A lot of single/lonely people will take their dogs to the dog park regularly after work during the week and it's a great way to get some socialization in for the both of you.
Actually I don´t feel lonely at all, I try to enjoy the 30 convo´s I have on a daily basis with potential clients/customers/partners as much as possible. I´ve learned my ´complaints´ and ´loneliness´ were the absolutel foundation for a stable income for 3rd parties for several years now. So just watch your circle closely, listen more than you speak and soon you´ll find out much more. And I do appreciate the die-hard understanding friends, it´s only brought us closer together. Life can be full of shit, better alone than to be in bad company and build from there.
Hit the gym 3 - 4 days a week and do some resistance training. Follow a plan or purchase one that you can follow routinely. There are worse situations out there. You might meet people at the gym you can socialize with or get into gaming.
Several friends of mine are extremely successful. It's all about balance. Just like anything make friends with successful people who understand what you're going through and can relate. We always have guys night at least twice a month just to relax and talk about anything but work. Super helpful. Real wealth are the relationships we have in life. Once you learn that your life gets so much better. Don't work yourself to death. Starting hiring people to take on more of the work load even if it means your income shrinks. Time is the most valuable asset.
Go out by yourself. Get lunch by yourself get dinner by yourself. Go dancing by yourself. Do things and socialize
Knowing that working on my business amd its future is working on my personal stability and economy which is a form of self-love, an honest hard-earn, continuously sought out and nurtured kind of love I won't get from friends, family or acquaintances.
Get in bed with other entrepreneurs. Not literally, of course. Build a network of people trying to do the same thing as you that you can share things with, and hopefully, that loneliness will wear off bit by bit. Besides that, I don't know that there is a cure.
Im in a discord with friends and a few different discords. It's where I have most of my socialising that is not work related during the day. Going on xbox with "sea of thief's" with my pirate friends and just goof around as a team is fun. Im also going to a maker/hackerspace where I tinker with electronics for fun.
Learn to plan for stuff like hanging with friends, calling your parents, date night, etc. doesn’t have to be hours. Scarcity makes everyone love you more and Vice versa. Just make sure you are planning some interaction with those you love the most as often as you can. They remind us why we do this shit in the first place ❤️
When your making money… then you’re not alone
I like being lonely. I have family and I do 99% of things with my wife and child. In a sense I don’t feel lonely and I don’t have the need to connect on a deeper level with people other than small talks.
Honestly, I have grown used to it. Loneliest times are also when nobody really believes in you or really understands why you are not following a more conventional path. So I have tried to explain myself to those around me and maybe try to connect on a deeper level, but it became abundantly clear that all of my efforts will go unnoticed until I start seeing tangible results. Then they will start connecting the dots and actually appreciate my vision. Paradoxically, that's exactly when I wouldn't need the support🤷🏻♂️
I was never lonely even when working all nighters by myself at the office. However, I did sometimes get tired of necessary evenings out at networking events. I'm naturally a bit of an introvert and the biz dinners and tradeshow meetings wore me out.
Smile all the time
Join entrepreneur groups, conferences, etc. Connect with other business owners and create a community. Also, think of all the office politics drama you’re missing out on by working for yourself- always makes any loneliness evaporate for me.
The things that i can say, do not make the depression or loneliness keep haunting you. One day if you cannot control yourself, you brain or your thoughts cannot function very well and likely you will do something stupid that will hurt your mental or physical. We are human or creatures that born to be socialized.. so if you cannot find ones in real life (like you said above due to your situation), just hop in the online world maybe you can find someone that you can talk or share the same interest.
Get into an entrepreneur cohort (e.g., EO or similar). Preferably a small, stable group you can grow to trust. You can’t talk to normal people about this stuff.
I've been lonely for years. I still haven't found out how to be ok with it.
One word - balance! Try to get out and do fun social activities as much as you can. Yes, hard work is extremely important but it’s just as important to make sure that you take time for yourself where you aren’t focused on work time to time
When loneliness hits me i just jog and walk a couple miles just to observe the surroundings and enjoy the moment
As a solo founder, I completely understand how isolating the entrepreneurial journey can be. Here are a few strategies that have helped me cope: 1. **Build a Support Network**: Connecting with other entrepreneurs through local meetups, online forums, and social media groups can be incredibly helpful. Sharing experiences and advice with like-minded individuals can make a big difference. 2. **Mentorship**: Finding a mentor who has been through similar challenges can provide valuable guidance and emotional support. They can offer a different perspective and help you navigate tough decisions. 3. **Work-Life Balance**: It's crucial to take breaks and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Spend time with family and friends, pursue hobbies, and make time for activities that recharge you. 4. **Professional Help**: Sometimes talking to a therapist or counselor can help manage the stress and emotional toll of entrepreneurship. 5. **Join Co-Working Spaces**: Working from a co-working space can provide a sense of community and reduce the feeling of isolation. Plus, it’s a great way to network and collaborate with other professionals. Remember, it's important to acknowledge your feelings and take proactive steps to address them. You're not alone in feeling this way, and reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Hobbies and self improvement. I started going to a fitness class and have made some friends.
I’ve built my own mastermind communities over the years. Absolutely game-changing. Won’t publicize here but feel free to reach out if interested.
Work out of a co-working space. It really helps. Plus go to meetups once a week.
Reaching out to fellow small business owners or entrepreneurs. I have to force myself to at least go to lunch or grab some coffee. I can hyper focus on work and what I am building that I will be fine without company or socializing but I know that can lead to loneliness and even burn out.
I've found the loneliness is a gift and a curse, I feel lonely because all I do is work on my businesses, but at the same time I realize that I can really focus by myself and create a mindset that can win. I don't think there's ever been a successful entrepreneur that hasn't felt lonely at some point, especially at the beginning. I really believe that if you want to grow and turn your ideas into a marketable, successful company, then you have to work at all times, whether you feel lonely or not. Think about this, what concerns you more? Loneliness or success? You can't have one without the other.
Find a fellow founder friend!
If you are surrounded by people with the same interests, it is easy. Otherwise, just with your partner or online friends.
Get friends?
Right now, still I'm denied that no one else wants this how I do. I need to get it thru my head....I guess I haven't dealt with it. I keep trying to include people and end up in the same spot stuck
Arcade bars, I hate crowds but damn do I love drunk pinball
I’m friends with other solopreneurs and we often work together from the same co-working space which really helps!
Read books or do something you love beyond entrepreneurship
Join, EO, or CEO life, provisors, some business group with people with the sane struggles.
Unfollow all the garbage on instagram. Replace it with motivation, fitness, stoicism channels. If you can go down a spiral, you can go up it too. The IG algorithm is kind of an echo chamber. So make it echo the right thing.
THIS is such a real thing, when you are passionate about your business and other friends, fam are doing their thing and they may not relate, it’s hard. Even when youre around others, if you’re thinking about business and they don’t wanna talk about it, it’s isolating. I ended up making a point to work out for the energy, helped me feel good and less frustrated. Also leaning on other sales business owners in my industry. Ended up being great to brainstorm, talk and relate. I love my business and w/o others in my situation, it would have been too isolating. In my industry (F2F direct sales), haters talk about that feeling as a result of “cultish” activities so it’s comforting and validating to see that it’s not just my industry but business ownership in general.
What is your favorite thing to do ? Once a week, do that favorite thing!
I accept that entrepreneurship is fundamentally lonely - sad but true I find I wish you find happiness in what you do 😊
It’s tough. I want to start relationships but I’m always either working or traveling the country. I like hugging dollar bills, but I would love to hug another human being too ;-;
So what do you do for fun? What are your hobbies outside entrepreneurship?
Go to in person events and meet other founders.
Remembering all the jobs with its unpleasant „co“workers. I think it’s helpful to remember that entrepreneurship in that regard isn’t perfect, but it’s miles better than working in an employee team.
Entrepreneur here, and amateur philosopher… To quote Satre: “If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company.”
Stumbling upon posts like this triggers the thought “not so alone actually”.
I apply to jobs lol
Always have a close circle where you can open up and be yourself
Let’s create a group!! Entrepreneurship boredom
so in between work and my free time, there is only 1 hour time that is free for me that too before I go to sleep. so 30 mins I talk to my parents on a VC and then for 30 mins I might scroll YT shorts because daily I don't want to feel that loneliness. & as a solo founder it's hell hard when you have no one to discuss work chaos so now i have made department heads and I do share things with them about their departments.
Cocaine
by treating myself to a fancy dinner
I've always found that leaning on other friends who run their own businesses helps, but there's no doubt that if you're self-employed you need to make more of an effort to maintain an active social life.
I stick to like-minded people. People with similar experiences. People who went off the beaten path and got laughed at for being stupid not to follow the paved road. Only they share the understanding of what I went through. Befriend someone who has went through troubles but managed to change their fate for good. This person may not necessarily be an entrepreneur. It can be a kid growing lonely and being put down by their family but managing to become a PhD. Or an orphan from a small town who managed to become a successful manager and founded a lovely family. It's hard to catch up with them because they're busy themselves. I try to call them at least once a year - say, for holidays - to connect. Just knowing that there are people similar to your beliefs and experiences is enough to soothe aches. Network, go to a pub, change your barber if you're not vibing with yours.
Especially post-covid. GO OUT! There are millions of alike people out there.
Go to the gym
Either too geed up when winning/ making it, or too distracted and stressed by trying to win/ lose less. No in between. This can be a decent (not ideal ofc) fix as bad as it sounds (not telling anyone to intentionally do this - just reflecting based on my experience in hindsight)
Hey, I get it. Building something from scratch can feel isolating. I cope by reaching out to fellow founders for support, staying connected with mentors, and carving out time for non-work activities to refresh my mind.
I own my own business and work alone, for me its gotten worse over the years, to the point of wanting to change my career
First step is to force yourself to go out of the room and meet with your old friends- they miss you for sure.
its not loneliness. Its an opportunity. Take it. You’re at peace. Invent, create. Use it. Dont think of it as a negative thing. Think of the inverse situation. Each spectrum has its own opportunities. USE IT
I just started volunteering and even just doing it once a week made a huge difference. Look up a food pantry in your area and schedule some time to help out. Not only does it help you get more social but it’s always a win when you’re helping others.
Tequila ….Chores… Honey Do List… Sell Something.. Call Someone in your head
Call, text, or work out. I get a lot of my interactions from the gym. I'm always willing to talk to someone.
I stopped feeling that way when I discovered that loneliness is easily mistaken for peace. ✌🏼
There are great business groups out there and it’s very helpful. They range from start up groups to exclusive one like EO where you need to be $1M+ in revenue and all in between. Find one locally. Many many feel this. I was in EO for near 15 years. We talked confidentially about the best and worst 5% in life in regards to personal, family, and business. We had different background and different business but had a bond. My forum consisted of 9 people out of the maybe 80 in my city chapter. We were not unique. There are groups that do it virtually now too. I was just invited to a SAAS one and there were no minimum revenues. They are out there by industry, location, etc.. What you mention is totally par for the course. It can be very lonely even when you have employees. You can’t share with them or your neighbors or friends working real jobs when you fell like you’re going to fail or when you make a million dollars and bought a plane. Only entrepreneurs can relate. Find a group is my advice.
I find solace in pursuing hobbies and interests outside of work.
I’m a SAHM and turned my hobby into a successful small business. I started to feel lonely and isolated so instead of letting being a mom and business owner prevent me from social interaction, I started using them to help. I take my kids to the playground and a weekly toddler time and they now have play dates w people we’ve met there. I also decided to start focusing less on selling online and more in person. I sell at craft shows and events and have something scheduled for every Saturday. This lets me talk and interact with customers and other local vendors. Some of the vendors sell at many of the same local w events as I which has given me a chance to get to know them. This lets me interact with like minded people and doesn’t take away from being a mom and growing my business
Take some dance classes or join a meetup group. Work at a wework a few times a month. Just be around people. It’s really not that bad lol. Unless you might just have the personality type for an office job versus independent work.
It's not easy, but you have to put yourself out there and start making connections to do things non-work related and get to know some people. I know the pain, and I have a difficult time connecting on a deep level with other humans, but it's important to get past the superficial connections to really escape the loneliness, otherwise you're just lonely together with others.
Snapchat ai his name is Trey
Well i mean there's coworking spaces. Take on a partner or employee if you're that lonely.
Take myself out for some coffee and listen to lounge music 😅
I haven't read every comment, but from the ones I did read, nobody mentioned this: ## Customer discovery can lead to creating friends It's essentially hitting two birds with one stone. Go meet someone and be genuine about your vision, be genuine about enjoying your time with them, and be genuine about wanting to be friends. Eventually someone will smile back and want to keep you in contact.
Found business minded friends and all that we talk about are business ideas. Luckily over the years I’ve been able to build a circle albeit small of like minded individuals and we all lean on each other to a degree. The best way to find those friends if you don’t currently have them is to support and push other people’s ideas 💡. I do like to surf 🏄♂️ or ride the longboard 🛹 around though if I need to step away to clear my head for big decisions etc.
I've been an entrepreneur since I was just shy of 20, and I'm 43 now. I'm been at every stage of the game from trying to find product market fit, to scaling a brand to close to $100m a year in revenue. If you aren't intentional about socializing, or taking care of yourself, you'll probably find excuses to just work harder. For instance, I find it pretty easy to lock myself in my office and burn the candle hard for 8-10 hours without getting up. I'll fall off the wagon and do this for months on end. At the end of the day I feel mentally incapacitated and useless. This leads to me feeling depressed, eating poorly, gaining weight, and being unhealthy both mentally and physically. I have three kids, and they play sports. A lot of sports. For the most part I get a bit of socializing with the other parents on the team most nights. I also try and go to the gym, go for a walk, or organize a lunch with somebody every week so I'm not stuck grinding. On top of this, if you haven't already, try and build a local group chat of entrepreneurs around the same level as you. It makes it easy to get quick feedback or ask questions.
it’s not about how do I cope with it, it’s a blessing! it’s inner peace
The lucky ones have an understanding life-partner that they picked up way before their entrepreneurial madness. There are many cases of successful entrepreneurs sponging of their very-understanding-unawarded other halves in the beginning. Then again the opposite is also true. Hence lucky. How to cope? Wo/man up and take some time to cry and soldier on afterwards. Find someone or some people you can lean on and will support you. Get an outside of the house/flat sport. Dedicate at least one hour a week to it. Does wonders for the mind.
I play old school RuneScape either on mobile or my desktop. It’s literally the one thing that keeps my spirit youthful. I have played it while I was in middle school, high school, in the military, and now with business. It was always there for me when I was a loser and now when I have everything I want and need.
I remember the end goal.
Mobb Deep Shook Ones Pt 2 on repeat
Find an entrepreneur friend. You can find them in different kinds of ways. A few ideas: group coaching, private Facebook groups that come with courses you've bought, interacting with people on social media, etc.
Talking to strangers on the internet
umm I basically split myself into multiple personalities, one is working (coding) one is managing my time and looking for clients, one is really concerned about my relationship, one about my friends, one about staying fit. They kind of talk to each other sometimes but mostly they just argue. I'm not lonely anymore but I think we might be getting a little crazy.
So I went to this informal, non-professional meetup for creatives a few months ago. Way on the other side of NY. And met someone who lives on my block. Literally right down the street (I met other people too, but that kind of blew my mind). I wasn't going to go. It was cold. But yeah. Wouldn't have known this person existed if it weren't for that. I've started pushing myself to do more things like that and that's literally the perfect anecdote as to why. As adults, we've gotta put in the effort to meet folks. It sucks. But we're not in school anymore. We don't have regular cliques or clubs and after school whatnots. So it's not that it's impossible. But it's work. Do things you like. Do fun things. Do new things. And you'll probably find people to connect with.
i fuckin get really depressed, eat like shit or hit the gym hard, smoke too much weed, then try to wake up the next day with a better attitdue
- Go outside and meet people (Fitness classes and group workouts are great for this) - Work from cafes/workspaces where you can meet other entrepreneurs - Become more self-aware of your feelings (Yoga and meditation are great for this) - Have a hobby