Starting a company is irrational. Most fail. The data says get a job. Yet founders persist, seeing possibilities where others see walls. This "reality distortion field" isn't a bug—it's a feature. Without it, nobody would attempt the impossible.
Here's the paradox: What psychiatrists call "delusions of grandeur"—believing you're special, powerful, destined—is exactly what VCs look for. The same trait that signals mental illness in a clinic signals potential in a pitch room.
In my due diligence, I check for reality anchors. Does the founder have a clear go-to-market strategy? Do they understand their target customer deeply? Are their financial projections grounded? Without these, they're not visionary—they're delusional.
The challenge isn't eliminating distortion—it's balancing it. You need enough delusion to attempt the impossible, but enough reality to execute the practical.
Dance on the edge of madness. Just don't fall in.
Founders? Craziness is a fundamental not a feature.. 🤯