By Chris Heivly, Managing Director at Build The Fort and Startup Community EIR @ Techstars

If you’ve ever played a video game, you know the thrill of leveling up — the satisfaction of mastering one level, only to then find yourself in an even more complex and exciting challenge, managing the next level. Entrepreneurship is no different. There’s always another level. Another set of features to add. Maybe another product to build. Another market to conquer. Another revenue goal to achieve. Another perfect hire to recruit. The founder game never truly ends — and that’s exactly what makes it both exhilarating and daunting.

But here’s the paradox: To play this game well, you must operate with the urgency of today and the patience of tomorrow.

Startups don’t die from lack of vision — they die from a lack of execution. (I am certainly not the first to say this out loud.) Urgency means showing up every day with clarity, energy, and enthusiasm. It’s knowing that your customers are still needy, the market doesn’t wait, your competitors aren’t sleeping, and your team looks to you for direction.

Urgency is:

• Hitting that deadline even when it’s difficult and the team is tired.

• Making that big decision, even when it’s imperfect, because there is not enough data.

• Picking up the phone, sending the cold email, pitching one more investor — now, because tomorrow is not a guarantee.

But urgency without vision is a recipe for burnout. That’s where patience comes in.

While urgency powers the short game, patience powers the long game. Real companies, meaningful brands, and generational impact don’t happen overnight. I frequently share this thought - “there is no express train to the top of Everest.” 

You must be willing to plant seeds today that may not bear fruit for months or years. As a leader, you will have to spend time building the muscles that you need to use in the future.

Patience is:

• Trusting you and your team that small wins compound over time.

• Accepting that mastery comes through experience, repetition and time.

• Knowing that some of your most important breakthroughs will come through failure and the resilience that follows failure.

The best founders don’t choose between urgency and patience — they embrace the tension between them. They sprint with intensity today, while architecting for the long haul. They pivot quickly when needed, but never lose sight of the mission.

This is the mindset of the infinite game.

So next time you level up, don’t be surprised that the challenges get harder. That’s the point. You’re not supposed to “arrive.” Levels are not final destinations.

In a culture that rewards speed, blending patience might seem countercultural. But that’s what makes it so compelling. If you're building something important, something that matters — something that lasts — give it the time it deserves.

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