8 lies founders tell themselves

Hey friends 👋We’ve all been there—telling ourselves stories that feel true but are really just comfortable lies keeping us from the hard work of validation.In this episode, Cameron and I tackle 8 of the most common lies founders tell themselves. Things like “our users say they love it, so we’re on the right track” (spoiler: interest ≠ intent) and “we just need a few more features before we can start charging” (you’re optimizing for freeloaders, not customers).We dig into why these lies feel so good—fear of rejection, perfectionism, overconfidence — and, more importantly, how to overcome them. Because here’s the thing: a little delusion helps you start, but data is what gets you to product-market fit.Some of our favorite reality checks from this one:* “Nobody buys technology. People buy outcomes.”* “Validation over vibes. Intent over interest. Data over dogma.”* “Winners don’t never quit—they quit everything that doesn’t work.”We wrap with Frivolous Thoughts about marathons, perseverance, and Seth Godin’s “The Dip” — because knowing when to quit is just as important as knowing when to push through.Stop lying to yourself. Start shipping. Get the data.— Cameron and JDM This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com