I once sat across from a founder who was having their best revenue year ever.
On paper, everything looked strong.
But when I asked, “How does it feel?”
They paused.
And their eyes filled with tears.
They said, “I thought it would feel lighter than this.”
That moment stayed with me.
Because sometimes success doesn’t feel like relief.
It feels like more responsibility.
More people depending on you.
More risk.
More to lose.
No one talks about the emotional cost of growth.
But I’ve seen it enough to know, it’s real.