Don't be obsessed with the title of Founder & CEO.
To myself, who barely kept the startup afloat without making any money, just playing at running a company.
“Delusion is believing something that doesn’t exist as if it were true, or having irrational and unrealistic thoughts that don’t make sense.”
I’m still embarrassed that I used to talk about innovation and startups when I couldn't even generate revenue, let alone profit, doing worse than a small neighborhood store. I should have felt grateful and humbled just to barely keep the business going with government support, but instead, I was too arrogant.
The truth is, when you're caught up in delusion, you can't hear anyone else. I was especially like that during middle school. Yet, after facing countless hardships and adversities, I was forced out of my own bubble and finally came to my senses. Looking back now, it feels like I spent more time visiting public institutions and associations rather than actually thinking about my own business or service, much like a typical small company that just goes through the motions for approval.
This writing isn’t meant to provide insights to other founders or tell anyone what to do. I just don’t want to forget the sense of urgency I have now and, more than anything, I don’t want to lose the people around me anymore. Whether big or small, before advocating for any innovation or trying to convince others, both internally and externally, I’ll always strive to keep my delusions in check.