The Startical Guidelines
The following is the set of five guidelines compiled from both discussions and introspection from the original Startical 1.0 around maximising the impact of a Startical, both for oneself and for the startup ecosystem as a whole.1. Share your Startical
It’s easy for entrepreneurs to feel alone, that no one else shares their problems. By sharing my Startical, I create opportunities for my fellow entrepreneurs to recognise themselves in even the most banal of my thoughts and activities, fostering a sense of belonging and community. (Credit to George Koulouris for pushing me on this one for Startical 1.0)
2. Share shamelessly, share often
Nobody is obligated to consume what you share, but even a single image, quote or reflection can have a major impact when it reaches the right audience. By sharing regularly and without shame, I maximise the chances of making a real difference when my story reaches the right person at the right time.
3. Examine every aspect of your routine
It’s easy to develop unhealthy habits when you exist in a perpetual state of entrepreneurial survival mode. By examining every aspect of my daily routine, and sharing regularly, I create opportunities for both my peers and myself to identify and correct these habits.
4. Follow your instincts
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to completely drop everything about your startup over the course of your Startical. By following my instincts about what I think is important, not what others expect me to think is important, I can continue to make healthy contributions to the startup while enjoying my Startical to the fullest.
5. Reach outside of the startup ecosystem
Chances are that you’re surrounded by members of the startup community in your daily life. By actively reaching outside of this ecosystem to friends, family and especially new acquaintances, I live a richer, more profound Startical. Moreover, this facilitates following the above guidelines!
I hope that [the original guidelines] inspire continuously improving guidelines for future Starticals.
Based on my experience from Startical 1.0, I propose to add just one final guideline:
6. Summarise your Startical
Few people will read your Startical from start to finish—probably not even your future self! By posting summaries of the principal themes and discoveries in the days and weeks following the Startical, I ensure that anyone—including my future self—can quickly and easily absorb the principal lessons learned.
I promise to do my best to respect these guidelines, and, as before, I hope that they inspire continuously improving guidelines for future Starticals. Why a Startical?