You're encountering setbacks in your startup project. How do you stay motivated and keep pushing forward?

Setbacks don’t shake me because I never relied on motivation to begin with. I’ve trained my mind to understand that motivation comes and goes, but mentality is what carries you through. It’s about showing up when you don’t feel like it, pushing forward when it’s quiet, and staying locked in when the path gets unclear. Discipline, consistency, and resilience aren’t just traits, they’re non-negotiables. That’s the mindset I lead with because building something real requires more than inspiration it demands an unshakable mentality and passion.

- Remind yourself why you started - Break work into small wins - Celebrate tiny progress daily - Talk to fellow founders often - Visualize success every morning - Rest before burnout hits you

Setbacks in startups aren’t just common—they're part of the process. One underrated mindset shift? Create a “failure resume.” List out every misstep, what it taught, and how it sharpened the vision. Instead of hiding failures, treating them like milestones builds resilience and reminds founders how far they've come. It’s not about ignoring the struggle—it’s about reframing it. Real growth happens in the reflection, not just the hustle.

Building Passelle has taught me that setbacks aren’t a sign to stop—they’re part of the process. When things get hard (and they do), I go back to why I started: to make fashion more circular, more conscious, and less wasteful. That mission keeps me grounded. I’ve learned to celebrate small wins, stay curious, and keep moving—even if it’s just one step. Progress doesn’t have to be perfect to be real.

Setbacks are inevitable in any meaningful pursuit—awareness is the first step to navigating the challenges. I stay conscious of my inner state, the external realities, and the lessons hidden within challenges. Acceptance follows—not resignation, but clarity about what is and what can be changed. Resilience then becomes a deliberate posture, built through discipline, faith, and reflection. I return to why I began—purpose is a more powerful fuel than mere ambition. I surround myself with people who believe, even when results delay. In every delay, I find design insight—and the courage to press on.

I remind myself that obstacles are a natural part of the process. I stay motivated by focusing on the bigger picture and the progress I’ve already made. It helps to break down the challenges into smaller, more manageable tasks so I can tackle them step by step. I also lean on my network of mentors and peers for support and guidance.

Big visions can feel heavy when progress stalls. One way to stay motivated? Set ridiculously small goals. Not just “launch MVP”—think “write one line of code” or “send one email.” It sounds trivial, but small wins rebuild momentum and restore confidence. Progress isn’t always loud. In tough seasons, it’s the quiet steps that keep the dream alive.

Setting small, achievable goals is a great way to stay motivated when the big picture feels overwhelming. Each small win boosts your confidence and makes progress feel more manageable. It also allows you to pause, reassess, and celebrate your achievements along the journey.

In my work with innovation-driven founders, I’ve seen that your "why" can’t just be about profit, it has to be anchored in purpose and learning. The teams that break through setbacks are the ones who track not just performance, but the experiments that shape it. Ask: how many proof-of-concept tests did we run? Who did we learn from? When your purpose is to unlock progress, not just to launch a product, you stay motivated, even when the road twists. Make your “why” measurable through the questions you ask and the learning you capture. That’s how momentum is built.

When everything feels like it’s falling apart, clarity can be the anchor. One way to regain it? Revisit the first “why.” Not the pitch-deck version—but the quiet reason that started it all. Write it down. Tape it to a screen. Say it out loud when motivation fades. It’s easy to chase trends and forget purpose. But that original why—it’s the compass. And sometimes, remembering it is enough to take the next step.

Startups can feel isolating, especially when things go wrong. One powerful but often overlooked solution? Build a “resilience circle”—a small group of peers who meet regularly to share wins, losses, and lessons. Not just mentors or friends, but people who understand the weight of building from scratch. When setbacks hit, this circle becomes more than support—it becomes perspective. And sometimes, knowing others are in it with you is what keeps the fire lit.

Not every setback means stopping—sometimes it means shifting. A wise pivot isn't about giving up on the vision, but about letting go of what's not working. One uncommon trick? Track patterns in user confusion or resistance, not just feedback. Repeated friction often reveals where change is needed most. Pivoting with purpose can reignite energy, open new doors, and remind a founder that flexibility isn’t failure—it’s strategy.