I’ve Been Struggling
Earlier this week, I had a moment where I felt it was all too much. I felt overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. So many great things have been happening with Wildest Dream recently, but it’s been a lot. And in that moment, it felt like too much for me to handle.
Last week, Jack and I were in Portugal with my friend Joao scouting out locations for our Wildest Dream 2026 European Retreat. It was an amazing trip, I absolutely loved it, but it was full on. We landed back in London and then went straight into a full day of filming at a studio in Peckham, creating content for our website.
At the same time, we were preparing for upcoming workshops, getting proposals out, delivering 1-1 coaching sessions and onboarding a new intern - an exciting step for the business, but one that comes with lots of work. We had to get contracts sorted, tick HMRC boxes and ensure their onboarding was smooth. This step also comes with that added sense of responsibility - that someone was now relying on us for their income.
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With the travel and feeling the added pressure I had been putting on myself, I hadn’t been sleeping so well. Mind racing, struggling a little to switch off. My work days were beginning to expand, as I felt the need to start earlier and finish later to get everything I needed to do, done.
In the background, my inbox was piling up, while I could feel that familiar guilt about the unanswered WhatsApp messages from friends I still hadn’t replied to. I started this week feeling like I was in survival mode - fighting fires, one step behind. Fear began to creep in. Fear of letting something slip: missing an important email, not paying or sending an invoice on time, forgetting to check in with a 1-1 client or not having a workshop plan ready in time. Now that Wildest Dream is mine and Jack’s livelihood, we both feel that deep sense of responsibility - to provide for those around us, to deliver high-quality work and to build something truly great.
I have been trying to remind myself to keep perspective:
“Patrick, you get to wake up each morning to do what you love. You get to build your own business with someone you admire. You’re surrounded by amazing people. You get to travel the world and work with inspiring people. You have a beautiful home, an amazing wife, good health, loving family and friends. You have a great life.”
And all of that is true. I am incredibly fortunate, and that’s not lost on me. But sometimes, it can just feel like too much. We are all only human after all. Why am I sharing this with you? Not for pity or sympathy, but to be honest with you. To show that it’s not all sunshine and roses.
As I thought about sharing this, I questioned whether it might undermine my credibility. I’m a coach who helps others navigate these same challenges, would people trust me less if they knew I face them too? Maybe. Some of our corporate clients receive this email. Would it seem unprofessional to share this so openly with them? Possibly. But for me, being honest and authentic is perhaps more important than any of that. This is something Jack and I both believe in, which is why “authenticity” is one of our values as a company.
I think it’s unfair - especially in this social media age where we mostly see only the highlights of other people’s lives - not to show the reality. To pretend we never struggle. Because we all do.
So, what did I do on Tuesday when I felt like it was all too much, when I had this wobble? I told Majd, my wife, exactly how I was feeling. Her words of comfort and support lifted me. I shared how I felt with Jack, I could feel the load lighten. I then had a really good, honest conversation with a friend I was seeing that day, Altaf, who offered some powerful words of wisdom and perspective.
Having worked in the corporate world, I’m used to structure, routine, processes and predictability. Knowing my personality and strengths, I also find it inherently challenging when there is so much change and uncertainty - and that’s the constant reality of being a business owner and entrepreneur. I’m learning how to navigate this. I don’t always get it right. I make mistakes.
A key lesson I have learnt, or a reminder, from this week was inspired by Altaf. He helped me see that as a business owner, I have to accept the reality that I can’t do everything perfectly. Some things should be done to the best of my ability, and other things simply need to be good enough.
And so, what’s the message here? Well, mainly I just wanted to share how I have been feeling with you. But if there was one takeaway, it might be this: that it is okay to feel overwhelmed at times and when we do, that there's nothing more helpful in that moment than sharing exactly how we feel with those close to us.
And how am I doing now? Much better!
Just sharing how I felt that day with Majd, Jack and Altaf helped ease the tension instantly. A few good nights’ sleep later and I’m back to feeling my usual energised, positive and excited self!
Before I go, I want to share this too. That Tuesday, I was working from the Southbank Centre. Majd bought me lunch and we then walked together across Embankment Bridge, hand in hand, and in that moment I was reminded of what truly matters most in life.
There will always be more work to be done, more emails to respond to - that to-do list will never be done. And the people you love, they won't remember you by what you achieved, but by how you made them feel.
