Entrepreneurship's Hidden Struggle: The Mental Health Crisis in India
Entrepreneurship, often romanticised, is a challenging journey that tests one's mental fortitude. In India, the QPR Institute India is working to address the mental health of entrepreneurs, a crucial aspect often overlooked. Here, we explore the unseen struggles and the importance of founder well-being.
Entrepreneurship is not just about ideas and execution; it's about mental conditioning to navigate chaos. Founders live in a state of constant delusion, hoping the next move will fix growth or save the company. This persistent optimism, while driving progress, can also lead to burnout. In India, 9 out of 10 startups fail, often due to the founder's endurance rather than the product.
The uncertainty of startups impacts personal lives too. Founders often delay marriages, face financial instability, and health issues. Even with funding, sustaining momentum is difficult due to building teams, regulatory hurdles, and competitive threats. The QPR Institute India focuses on mental health training and suicide prevention among vulnerable groups like entrepreneurs. However, stigma and silence remain barriers to mental health support, making founder well-being as crucial as business fundamentals.
The unseen struggle of entrepreneurship is the founder's mental resilience against long working hours, unstable income, and investor pressures. Founders often live month to month, delaying gratification while peers enjoy more stable lives. Initiatives like QPR Institute India are essential to support entrepreneurs' mental health, fostering a more sustainable and supportive ecosystem for Indian startups.
