nwv brief #33: the cost of the game

dear founder,

people always seem to talk about the upsides to becoming a founder.

the freedom and flexibility.

in my experience, it feels like it’s less often that people talk about what one has to give up in order to become a founder.

the costs we pay before we reap any of the benefits—because that’s just how it works.

when i look back at the past couple years of my life, i see and feel so much loss.

impacts on my mental health and stability.
impacts on my financial health and stability.
impacts on relationships with family.
impacts on relationships with friends.

honestly, it’s the social piece that’s cut the deepest.

i’ve watched friendships drift. people stop inviting me. not out of malice—just because i’ve been less available. less present. less “me”.

and yet—this isn’t just a story of loss.

i’ve grown more in the past couple years than i ever thought possible.
i’ve become more self-aware.
i’ve met people who genuinely get it.
and i’ve gotten so much clearer on what i’m doing this for.

it still feels like a lot to hold.

that’s why i run. why i play pickleball. why i booked this trip and stepped away.
i needed distance. i needed contex shift.
i needed to remind myself that my work is not my entire life.

if you asked me what this journey costs, i’d tell you the truth: everything.

but not all at once. and not all forever.
sometimes you get to buy parts of your life back—but you have to choose it. you have to fight for it.

so here’s my question to you:
what part of your life have you quietly handed over?
and what’s one small way you could reclaim it this week?

with vision, purpose, & appreciation,

Brooke