My eyes crack open. 7am. Roll over. Grab my phone. Start scrolling…



Check Product Hunt. Ahh, crap. Someone just launched an app similar to my product (and we’re still in beta).

Scroll through Twitter. Shit! This person I’m jealous of just announced another success.

Read Medium. Fuck. Someone wrote a post almost identical to what I wrote months ago and they’re getting more traction.

My envy grows large, my blood pressure goes up. I feel like I’m waking up in a heavy cloud; an agitated haze. Already on edge, and I haven’t even made toast yet.

Have you ever felt like this?

Stress is our body’s defence against bad news. It was useful when our ancestors were running around the jungle about to be eaten. It’s much less helpful now.

The problem is that the worry itself can harm you as much as the outcome you’re worried about. While you’re stressing over what might happen, your body is releasing adrenaline and cortisol as if you were actually in danger. – Under Pressure: Your Brain on Conflict, Psychology Today

These hormones are what cause intense feelings: jealousy, anger, sadness, despair.

But even worse, they reduce your ability to make great stuff. Instead of putting your energy into creating, you’re obsessing about things you can’t change.

Here’s how to get out of that negative downward spiral: