Giving Yourself Grace as You Grow a Company (or a Team)
Building a business—or leading a team—is one of the most rewarding, challenging, and humbling journeys you can take. We often picture the entrepreneur as unstoppable: waking up at 5 a.m., crushing goals, and scaling effortlessly. But the reality? Growth is messy. It’s trial and error. It’s late nights, self-doubt, and decisions you’re not 100% sure about. And in the middle of it all, the one thing we often forget to extend is grace—to ourselves.
Why Grace Matters
When you’re growing something new, it’s easy to become your own toughest critic.
You’ll question if you’re doing enough.
You’ll compare your progress to someone else’s highlight reel.
You’ll push through exhaustion because you feel like stopping means failing.
But the truth is: growth is never linear. Teams stumble. Leaders second-guess. Businesses pivot. Giving yourself grace doesn’t mean lowering your standards—it means recognizing that building something meaningful takes time, mistakes, and space to learn.
Signs You Need More Grace
You’re burning out but still telling yourself “just one more email.”
You beat yourself up over decisions that didn’t go perfectly.
You feel guilty taking a break or a vacation.
You’re impatient when the results don’t come fast enough.
If that sounds familiar, it’s time to pause.
How to Practice Grace in Business
Redefine Progress – Instead of measuring success only by revenue or milestones, celebrate the learning, the small wins, and the fact that you’re still standing.
Talk to Yourself Like You’d Talk to Your Team – You’d never call a team member a failure for making a mistake—you’d coach them. Offer yourself the same kindness.
Set Boundaries Without Guilt – Rest, time off, and saying no are all part of sustainable leadership.
Remember the Big Picture – You didn’t start your company to chase perfection. You started it to solve a problem, live with purpose, or create freedom. Keep that in focus when the small stuff feels heavy.
Final Thought
Giving yourself grace is not weakness—it’s leadership. It models to your team that it’s okay to be human, to grow through setbacks, and to choose sustainability over burnout.
The most powerful leaders aren’t the ones who never stumble. They’re the ones who stumble, extend themselves grace, and get back up with clarity and compassion.
So next time you catch yourself spiraling in self-criticism, pause and remind yourself: you’re building something extraordinary—and extraordinary takes time.