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Founder's Framework
FF_Newsletter_Dates_10.19

LET OBSESSION BECOME YOUR EDGE

If you’ve ever been told to lighten up, pull back, or stop caring so much, you’re not alone. Founders hear this all the time. That we need to "find balance" or "be less intense."

 

But what if our intensity isn’t the problem? What if it's exactly what’s helped us build something great?

 

Obsession is one of the most misunderstood traits of founders. And I’m not talking about the loud, performative hustle that burns people out. I’m talking about the behind-the-scenes, persistent force that drives us to keep going, keep refining, and keep raising the bar. It’s what makes us revisit the product at midnight, not because we have to, but because we care too much not to.

 

Read more in Why Obsession Is Your Greatest Advantage.

 

When directed with intention, obsession isn’t a flaw to fix — it’s a force to channel. It becomes the fuel behind long-term endurance, high standards, and a healthy culture. 

 

What could change if you saw obsession as a strength instead of a weakness?

PERSPECTIVES

“The lazy lose to the average. The average lose to the focused. The focused lose to the obsessed." — Shane Parrish, Founder of Farnam Street

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MARK MY WORDS

People have told me I care too much — about the product, the experience, the details. But I’ve never been able to turn that part off. And honestly, I’ve stopped trying.


Because I’ve learned obsession isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being deeply committed. It’s what drives us to solve problems others walk past and keeps us refining until the outcome is one we're truly proud of.


Your obsession isn’t the problem. It’s in how you choose to channel it. When you surround that intensity with clarity, structure, and a healthy culture, it stops being a burden and starts becoming your edge. 


You don’t need to tone it down. You need to point it in the right direction.

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GOT A MINUTE?

Core Values Aren’t Aspirations
In this clip from the Founder’s Framework podcast, Bob Glazer explains why real core values aren’t about who you want to be — they’re who you already are.

 

[Watch Now]

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    ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

    In case you missed it, here’s more from Founder’s Framework:

     

    How Great Companies Build Agency

    Agency isn’t about slogans. It’s about systems. In this piece, I unpack how founders can build cultures where ownership, trust, and progress are grounded in reality, not wishful thinking.

     

    [Read More]

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    For the founders who keep searching, not because they’re lost, but because they care too much to settle.

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      Mark Abbott

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