Jan 23Sanity Notes #007: Consider grading yourself on a curveIf you are anything like me, comparing yourself to others can be crippling to ease and motivation. Consider employing a curve. — Originally published at mattmunson.me. To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. It isn’t easy to make new friends in adulthood. That made it all the more special recently when I sat with two new friends over coffee, sharing life stories. While we had initially connected because…Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Jan 9Sanity Notes #006: Going gently into the new yearThe new year is a great time to reset. Applying some self-compassion might help. — Originally published at mattmunson.me. To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. Earlier this week, I sat at a Malibu hotel restaurant looking out at the Pacific Ocean. I had intended to spend a couple of days in Joshua Tree alone, or with my wife, as a…Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Dec 19, 2022Sanity Notes #005: Leveraging fear as a friendOriginally published at mattmunson.me. To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. For as long as I can remember, I have woken up at 3 AM once or twice a week and had trouble falling back asleep. During those middle-of-the-night thought sessions, I find myself feeling afraid. …Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Dec 16, 2022Sanity Notes #004: The power of meeting others where they areFinding yourself wishing your co-founders, employees, or investors would change? Start with accepting them where they are. — To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. I have found myself thinking a lot lately about how tempting it is to want to change others. In my life, this often shows up around the house I share with my wife and two children. Our son is…Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Dec 7, 2022Sanity Notes #003 : Your metrics are not your worth.This is a good year to remember that the top-level metrics of your company are not the measure of your worth as a leader. — To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. This is a good year to remember that the top-level metrics of your company are not the measure of your worth as a leader. A leader’s worth is derived by her achieving the following: Holding the vision Caring for…Founder Psychology2 min readFounder Psychology2 min read
Dec 1, 2022Sanity Notes #002 : What if you could not fail?How might you be free to lead and create if your own sense of self was not on the line? — To receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. Many leaders I sit with are carrying big questions about whether or not they are enough. This question is a part of my internal programming as well; I have wrestled with it since childhood. While I have heard it…Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
Nov 15, 2022Sanity Notes #001 : Introducing Sanity NotesTo receive future newsletters in your inbox, you can subscribe here. Welcome to Sanity Notes (SN). SN is my new semi-weekly newsletter exploring the hardest parts of entrepreneurship and leadership. The core belief behind our work at Sanity Labs is this: It is possible to navigate entrepreneurship with less suffering…Leadership2 min readLeadership2 min read
Nov 6, 2022The ubiquity of self-criticism among leadersWondering if someone else might be better at your job than you are? You are not alone. — Originally posted at mattmunson.me. Subscribe here for regular updates. I feel not enough nearly all the time. I constantly wonder whether the company would be better led by someone else. Someone who actually knows what they are doing. I feel like I do not know what I am doing. …Burnout4 min readBurnout4 min read
Oct 21, 2022An argument against rushingYour presence and creative attention mean more to your people and your work than all the effort you can muster. Maybe it’s time to relax. — Originally posted at mattmunson.me. Subscribe here for regular updates. Yesterday, I found myself in back-to-back coaching sessions feeling rushed and anxious. …Burnout2 min readBurnout2 min read
Oct 16, 2022What is the CEO’s job?The CEO role is the most-hyped and least understood. Let’s get clear on the work at hand. — Originally posted at mattmunson.me. Subscribe here for regular updates. I am not sure what my job actually is! As a coach, I meet with several new CEOs in any given week. One of the questions I like to ask in initial conversations is “What do you hold to be your accountabilities in your role as CEO?” The answers are…Startup22 min readStartup22 min read
