Solo founder 2 years into my first startup; I’ve made SO much progress, but still not a sustainable business. Lost all my friends because I can’t afford my former lifestyle. I feel incompetent, lost, and like I ruin everything. Really hate myself.

I feel the same way very with a similar situation. But you have to fight it! Here are some suggestions that I hope will help you:

Go for long walks across a city you live near or in, maybe when you take a break. Be completely unplugged. Stop people to ask them for directions, start a conversation, etc. Walk through parks and greenery. I find getting out of my head and walking through a city and observing others, nature, talking and connecting to strangers, is very peaceful and makes me look at the world with hope and renewed vigor. Even if you can’t do this get exercise daily it will really help clear your mind.

If you practice a religion I would suggest going to your church/synogogue/mosque every weekend/sabbath and pray. It seriously gives me perspective and hope, and faith that I will be ok in the long run. Faith allows you to look at things optimistically and not be lost. Often these prayers seem like they are written as an antidote for my actual situation, when they were in fact written hundreds of years ago. It makes me feel less alone in my fear and also to think that so many others say “hey this is about me” as others go through tough times in their life and look at these same passages. Also in religious setting you can make new friends and don’t need to expend money that you don’t have. Often there are events for young professionals or people have you over for a meal or event.

You should look into therapy. I would suggest you also take a look at DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or Cognitive Behavior Therapy). It allows you to restructure your thoughts and thinking. You will learn how to keep your thoughts in the center between emotional and logical (wise mind), radical acceptance (ok the last two years weren’t great, I am going to radically accept that as the fact and now turn my mind towards now what, what am I doing now to get me toward my goal to move me forward — otherwise you will just be constantly regretting).

One of the most helpful things in DBT is checking the facts. We as people have a tendency to think everything is a catastrophe. This technique allows to to check the facts of the situation and see if that actually is the case which it usually isn’t.

Also try meetup.com, go to local meetups for tech which is good for networking for your business and finding people who are in the same situation as you that you can surely befriend and get advice or a friendly ear.

I want you to know you aren’t alone and I wish you the very best in your startup and life!!

I am in the same position I have one suggestion we can go on a month long trip to some remote village in some mountain with a promise that for one month we don’t even talk about startups.Everything but the startups will do some volunteering exercise spend time without internet.

Then we will both come back and make a killing.The problem with all of us failed startup founder is we usually don’t collaborate with other failed startup founders because when we meet we are both suspicious of each other.

United we stand divided we fall.

Let me know your thoughts !!