Zen of Being All-In
I was listening to Bernie Daina (a friend of mine) discuss the Corporate Lifecycle, a description of what any startup goes through as it matures. From Entrepreneurial (filled with Promise) to Professional (filled with Purpose) to Bureaucratic (filled with Politics) to Expiring (filled with Paranoia). One of the things he stressed was that in the initial phase of any company (the entrepreneurial phase), it is typical to find people filled with both promise and accepting of ambiguity. As the cement is not yet dry on the formula for making money, experimentation is welcome and natural part of the culture.
As a company matures, it transitions into purpose and professionalism. In this phase, the company has discovered its mission, knows where its going, and moves to consolidate its assets, narrow its focus and align its resources.
Call it what you will, this is the moment when a company moves 'all-in'. Having been an entrepreneur involved in three startups now, I recognize all too well what it feels like to live in ambiguity and to hedge ones bet in the early phase of a company. Having moved beyond that here at Ping Identity, I now have a new sense of purpose and the peace of mind that I can only attribute to a mental state of 'all-in' thinking.
There's no turning back, there's no alternate route, there's no hedging. There's only the one mission, and the associated obstacles which stand in your way, which will either be achieved, or not, without ambiguity.
This doesn't mean you don't invest in the future, or place long-bets on potential disruptions or strategic initiatives, it just means that you understand what your purpose is, and you're prepared to give it your all.
