1- Don’t get too attached.
The idea that you are working on is probably going to change. While you seek the golden trophy of product-market-fit, you will encounter many changes and some pivots. We are now discussing at shift a new product with a new business model. For me, it was heartbreaking at first. The thought of letting go of our first product, while we still believed in it, was hard. I even had a small depression-like behavior, because I found it hard to attach myself to the new idea. Thankfully my co-founder (thanks Vee!) was able to get me out of there.
2- Find a group of people that embarked on the same journey as you had.
For me, it’s hard to explain to my family (immigrants that hate risks) and my friends what is it really that I’m going throw. So a good friend of mine suggested that I find other CTO’s in startups and discuss with them our daily struggles. That piece of advice is priceless, and although trivial, I can’t emphasize how important it is.
3- Set your mind to making decisions in uncertain conditions.
The main tip I can give you on this is to understand that decisions are not final and are continually changing, as conditions became less blurry. Whenever new data is discovered, it turns the perceptions and choices that you made before. To stay on track, you have to have a lightning guide (the startup missions and goals) and at the same time, be flexible in your thinking process.