Health & Success: The Best Founder Lesson I Learned the Hardest Way

Here’s my most important founder lesson for you. This is the story of how I almost gave up on myself in life! (Don’t worry, it’s not just a sad story; well, it starts off sad, but it’s going to have a happy ending. So, cheer up!) 😀

Do you ever wonder how your health can impact your success? Many people claim that maintaining a healthy lifestyle comes with numerous advantages.

“Yes, but come on! Who actually has the time for that? We’re all so busy striving to achieve our targets, meet our goals, pursue our dreams, and work tirelessly. If we start thinking about our health, it feels like we wouldn’t even have half the time we currently dedicate to our work, right? We might consider adopting a healthy lifestyle — incorporating nutritious food and exercise — after we achieve success in life. But right now, this isn’t the time for it. This is the time when I need to work hard. Even if I want to do exercises or eat healthy food now, I really don’t have time for those”.

Isn’t this how we often think? Well, this is the mindset that many of my friends held, and perhaps some still do. It’s also the mindset I used to have. That last sentence was one I frequently uttered until I became a victim myself.

In 2019, I began on the journey of pursuing one of our startup ideas: “PlanMash,” a smart wedding planning app powered by Machine Learning. Following our victory in the AngelHack Hackathon, we advanced to the global competition held in Silicon Valley, USA. There, we proudly secured a spot among the top 18 global startups. Our enthusiasm knew no bounds as we celebrated our dedicated efforts, remarkable achievements, and the promising business potential to scale this idea.

Despite our excitement, the demanding journey took a toll on us. Over the span of four to five months, during which we were tirelessly preparing our Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for the market and participating in AngelHack’s demo day competition, we fell victim to a physical hack. Throughout this period, our team of four members hardly experienced proper sleep, took no days off, and found little time for rest. We worked relentlessly, pouring all our energy into our endeavor.

Even after all the big excitement, I continued to work on this because I had already resigned from my well-paid six-figure salary job, believing in it. However, after working in the same way without considering my physical or mental health, I suddenly contracted Dengue fever. It made me very weak since I had no strength left or enough immunity to recover quickly due to not maintaining a healthy lifestyle or getting proper sleep for some time. I had to rest for one month until I felt I could get up and handle tasks on my own. During this period, since I couldn’t even stand up for long, I started consuming quickly prepared foods like store-bought bread, processed meat, and other non-nutritious items, just to satisfy my hunger — without any nutritional value. My body forced me not to work, as I experienced consistent body pain that prevented me from focusing on any of my tasks.

Things didn’t end there. When I finally began recovering properly from Dengue fever, I noticed some skin issues, though they weren’t severe. So, I finally started my work again. As I did not bother about it, it started getting worse. Then I tried a balm which was recommended to me by a doctor which cured it very quickly. I had nothing to worry about until I passed one week when my skin started itching gradually leading to a serious skin rash which confined me to my home for two months even without proper sleep. Why two months after resting one month fighting Dengue? Because this skin rash had spread everywhere on my arms and legs. So, I had to make sure, it won’t get infected by germs. To make things worse, it was one of the hottest summers with dust everywhere in the tropical country where I lived.

This is what happens when you don’t give enough rest to your mind. Although we are not connected with our mind and body, they are interconnected. They discuss with each other without informing you 😉 And then they launch a greater plan forcing you to listen to them and if you don’t listen to them, they punish you by bringing the worst nightmare and experience to your life keeping you completely away from everything you think are important; your endless work. Yes! It’s like dirty politics. Ha ha 😂

I tried so many treatments, nothing worked, but made everything worse as it was spreading. I was feeling depressed. I couldn’t work or go outside or do anything, at least I couldn’t even sleep well as it was itchy.

I literally thought that was the end of my whole life, and I would be forced to remain indoors, accomplishing nothing (trust me, following my dreams running a successful startup was so far away from me by then, because all I wanted was a cure to that skin rash and sleep at least one night peacefully).

I was mentally down, as was my entire family. We were giving up all hopes. That was the time I realized that no achievement or treasure or goal or dream can be more important than my own health. When your mind and body decide to take you down, because you don’t treat them well, nothing is going to save you, not your money, not your work. I still remember how I felt during those days thinking about how Steve Jobs died of cancer having all the fortune a man could possess which still couldn’t cure him.

If you don’t take good care of yourself, the results will come later and it won’t be pleasant. Remember, the bill always comes due.

However, I was so lucky as one of my friends took me to a hospital which does traditional Ayurvedic treatments in Sri Lanka. I am still very grateful to my friend and that doctor who provided me with treatments diagnosing my issue.

In my entire life, I still believe this is the most important lesson I have ever learned, that no fortune or success will be worth as much as my health. Because no matter how wealthy you are, if you don’t treat yourself well with healthy food, balanced diet, daily exercise, enough sleep and rest, you are never happy or successful. You cannot be happy, because you will suffer physically or mentally or by both very soon.

And after this, I started taking care of myself, my body and mind. I started following natural remedies for my illnesses with recommendations of an experienced doctor who helped me to understand my body and mind. I am thankful for him, because my life has become easy and happy. Just a simple tip for you, if you ever feel like you’re stressed, completely get rid of all your work, switch off your phones, all the digital devices and rest inside a forest. (Another tip: Sri Lanka has the best places for you for this. I have traveled to some countries and I still believe no place can beat the hospitality, beauty and calmness you need, other than Sri Lanka ❤️). You’ll realize how great you feel after living among nature. Trust me, getting ideas and finding solutions for your problems will come to you so easily when your mind and body are relaxed and happy.

So, no matter what, no matter how important what you’re working on right now, don’t ever forget to take care of yourself. Because when you start taking care of yourself with good healthy food, proper care and exercise, you start falling in love with yourself. When you love yourself, you start to think about yourself more. And then you start thinking what do you actually want in life, is it the material wealth that the society has defined for you or something else combined with a happy life surrounded with your loved ones, nature, peace, calm, eating healthy food, taking time to exercise etc. which will gradually lead you to achieving real sustainable success. So, Love Yourself! ❤️

Good luck to all of you who are determined to pursue your dreams while taking care of yourselves or determined to take care of yourselves after reading my story! 🌞

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