MASTER Risk Model - Learning Resources - Mindset

Intrinsic Motivation

Write down one task today and add “because it drives growth” to reconnect it with your company’s mission.

Choose one scaling project and link it to your values—why does this matter to you beyond financial growth?

Block ten minutes to work on something that energizes you—no outcome needed, just enjoy the flow.

Start your day by asking: “What would make today feel meaningful, not just productive?”

Keep a “why I do this” sticky note visible—anchor your actions to your deeper intrinsic motivation.

Say no to one task that drains your energy and doesn’t align with your company’s long-term purpose.

Journal about the last time you lost track of time working on your company—what made it so engaging and fulfilling?

Reflect on which part of being a founder brings you joy or fulfillment—how could you increase that more often?

Explore how your early passions still influence what drives your entrepreneurial energy—what themes continue to persist?

Write about a time when you were proud of effort, not results—what did that reveal about your intrinsic drive?

Identify a moment when investor pressure distracted you from intrinsic drive—how can you guard against it again?

List three values that guide your leadership—how are they showing up in this week’s scaling decisions?

Spend one hour this week on a passion project tied to your scale-up—track how it energizes effort.

Share what drives you internally with your leadership team—invite them to share theirs too.

Choose one scaling task and focus on enjoyment and learning—not outcome or recognition.

Rework a recurring task to reflect your founder strengths or personal interest.

Speak up for a change you believe in—even if unpopular—let values guide your voice.

Declutter your to-do list—keep only what connects to purpose, curiosity, or long-term vision.

Ask a mentor what they see as your “why”—does it align with what you feel internally?

Share your core motivation with an investor—ask if your current path reflects that drive.

Ask your co-founder to observe what energizes you—what moments do they notice you “light up”?

Discuss with a mentor what motivates you both—what’s different, what overlaps, and what does that unlock?

Ask someone close when they’ve seen you most alive in your work—what were you doing, and why?

Reflect with a mentor on when you work hardest without recognition—what drives that effort?

Shift “I have to fundraise” to “I choose to fundraise because…” and finish with your deeper why.

Recast frustration as a signal: “What value of mine feels misaligned, and how can I realign?”

Replace “I need to close this deal” with “I want to grow through this”—link to deeper purpose.

When motivation dips, ask: “What deeper reason brought me here?”

Change “This is boring” to “What part of this could I make creative?”

Reframe ambition as alignment: “What am I building that reflects who I want to be?”

Track which founder activities energize or drain you—does the pattern match what you truly care about?

Observe your energy across product, people, and capital tasks—where does attention sharpen and flow?

Notice when passion or meaning peaks—what founder work consistently lights you up?

Notice how you feel after helping a teammate unprompted—what inner driver fueled that effort?

Watch yourself under pressure—do you cling to purpose or drift into autopilot and habit?

Track the “why” behind your yeses this week—values, optics, guilt, or meaningful impact?

Extrinsic Motivation

List one recognition or milestone that motivates you—remind yourself of it before starting a demanding task.

Share a recent achievement with your board—notice how acknowledgment boosts your focus and drive.

Create a simple reward system for a scaling task you’re avoiding—tie completion to something enjoyable.

Add a visible progress tracker for a growth goal—watching progress builds commitment and drive.

Identify one area where accountability could help—share your growth goal with your leadership team.

Choose one task to finish before lunch and reward yourself with a treat or refreshing break.

Reflect on how external recognition affects you as a founder—what kind motivates you most: praise, visibility, or reward?

Write about a time investor pressure helped you push through difficulty—what sustained you in that moment?

Explore moments where you relied too much on investor praise—what impact did it have on your decisions?

Journal about how financial incentives influence your scaling choices—do they align or clash with your values today?

Think back to when you last received recognition—what impact did it have on your energy and focus after?

Reflect on your current performance metrics—are they motivating, distracting, or in need of redesign?

Share your progress on a tough scaling goal with an investor or mentor—let visibility fuel follow-through.

Compete with yourself using a measurable growth target—hit one number or milestone today.

Set a reward for hitting a key milestone this week—make it tangible and aligned with your values.

Publicly commit to a milestone on Slack, LinkedIn, or email—use accountability to stay consistent.

Try a gamified tracking tool for goals—notice how it shapes your focus and effort.

Ask an investor or mentor for feedback on one thing done well—notice how it boosts drive.

Ask your leadership team what kind of recognition motivates them—compare it to what drives you externally.

Invite your team to share how they like acknowledgment—adjust your recognition style accordingly.

Ask your team when they’ve seen you most motivated—was it tied to recognition, results, or progress?

Reflect with your team on what incentives keep you engaged—what patterns help you sustain focus?

Share how external rewards helped you close a deal—ask your peers what recognition looks like for them.

Ask your team for feedback on your reward-seeking behavior—do they see healthy drive or over-reliance?

Reframe external praise as signal of impact—“This shows what stakeholders value most.”

Shift “I just want recognition” to “I want impact seen”—clarify what feedback fuels your effort.

Change “This isn’t worth it” to “What recognition would make this feel meaningful?”

Recast equity or revenue goals as fuel for freedom—link numbers to outcomes that matter.

Reframe visibility as influence, not vanity—ask: “What do I want to be known for?”

See deadlines as urgency tools—clarity for action, not just pressure.

Track when external recognition helps or hurts performance—what’s the threshold where it flips?

Notice what types of praise land best—public wins, private notes, outcome or effort recognition?

Notice how competition for awards or press affects behavior—does it sharpen focus or distract?

Watch your response to being overlooked by press or partners—what beliefs fire immediately?

Observe when you push hardest—what external factor is usually present at those moments?

Track motivation on days with versus without recognition—how strong is the visibility effect?

No Fear

Name one small risk you’ve avoided in scaling—take the first small step toward testing it today.

Name one uncertain scaling step you’ve delayed—note what you can control and take one action toward it.

Message a potential partner with a compliment or idea—expect no reply and treat the act itself as progress.

Say out loud: “Failure is data, not identity”—repeat it whenever hesitation shows up before a scaling task.

Say aloud: “Uncertainty means possibility”—repeat it whenever you feel tempted to freeze or delay.

Say aloud: “A no doesn’t define me”—repeat it before asking for funding, partnerships, or new clients.

Share one time you failed while scaling and learned—remind yourself how that moment led to future growth.

Schedule ten minutes to explore a scaling topic you don’t understand—lean into curiosity over avoidance.

Share your opinion in a group setting—even if unpopular, speak once with calmness and clarity.

Reframe a current scaling task as an experiment—success means learning, not achieving perfection.

Choose to ask one curious question during your next meeting—even if you’re unsure of the answer.

Make a simple request you’ve been holding back—time, help, permission, or needed visibility.

Post a sticky note that reads: “What if I try—and learn?” Place it where you often hesitate.

Identify a small, unclear decision—make it quickly and treat it as a test, not a dangerous trap.

Write down the worst rejection you received—note what happened next and how you eventually grew.

Lower the stakes: pick one task you’re avoiding and do it badly—on purpose—just to get it done.

Change your desktop background to a quote about exploring the unknown—keep discomfort visible.

Add a sticky note that says: “Rejection is redirection”—place it where hesitation often shows up.

Journal about a time you failed at scaling—what story did you tell yourself, and how would you rewrite it differently now?

Journal about a time you acted despite market uncertainty—what happened, and how did it shape your growth path?

Reflect on your earliest memory of rejection—how has that moment shaped your current approach to investors or clients?

Reflect on where your fear of failure comes from—whose voice or past experience shaped that belief?

Reflect on what the unknown triggers in you as a founder—loss of control, failure, embarrassment, or something else?

Journal about a time you were rejected by an investor or client—how did you internalize it, and what story did you tell yourself?

Identify how fear of failure shows up in your body—what physical cues appear before you freeze or stall?

Write about a moment when not knowing the outcome led to growth—how did the experience unfold in your company?

Explore what you fear most about rejection as a founder—loss of respect, funding, or credibility?

Think of someone who embraces failure—how do they reframe it differently than you usually do?

Explore your decision-making style under uncertainty—do you delay until clarity, or experiment with partial data?

Think of a founder who handles rejection well—what do they believe that helps them stay grounded?

Write about a scaling success that came only after a failure—how did that mistake unlock something important?

Reflect on the cost of waiting for certainty—what opportunities did hesitation block you from pursuing?

Reflect on when you rejected yourself by not pitching or asking—what would’ve changed if you had tried instead?

List three opportunities you missed because you feared failing—what would you do differently today?

List three scaling areas where ambiguity is present—how are you managing each one mentally and emotionally?

List three actions you avoided recently because you feared rejection—what if you did just one of them now?

Volunteer for something uncertain this week—speak, pitch, or test an idea without knowing the outcome.

Make one decision this week without full market data—trust instincts and document the outcome.

Pitch a bold idea today even if it might not land—track how it’s received and how you respond.

Share a past failure publicly with your team or LinkedIn—frame it as a growth moment.

Join a discussion outside your expertise—embrace learning in real time and share takeaways.

Ask for something you want but usually fear to request—funding, resources, or visibility.

Submit a pitch deck before it’s perfect—focus on contribution instead of flawlessness.

Start testing an idea without full certainty—begin now and adjust as you go forward.

Apply for a grant or award even if you doubt success—focus on courage to try.

Ask a challenging question in a meeting—even if it feels risky to your credibility.

Try solving a growth problem without full research—use iteration to build understanding.

Send a message to a leader you admire—acknowledge their impact, even if they never reply.

Choose to act even when only 80% ready—note what happens when you move before clarity.

Share publicly that you’re exploring a new direction—own uncertainty and model courage.

Volunteer to go first in a pitch or meeting—step into visibility before you feel ready.

Approach a mentor for feedback on something unfinished—show progress, not perfection.

Ask someone to assign you a stretch responsibility—accept it without overpreparing.

Share a personal founder story in a professional context—model vulnerability and observe the response.

Ask a founder peer to describe a time they failed and learned—what shifted in their mindset?

Ask another founder how they navigate market uncertainty—what do they tell themselves when clarity is missing?

Ask a trusted colleague: “How do you experience me when I’m hesitant to pitch or engage?”

Invite feedback on something you hesitate to share—track how others respond versus your fear.

Share an uncertain decision you’re facing—ask a peer founder how they’d approach it.

Discuss with another founder how rejection shaped your growth—compare stories and strategies.

Share a past failure openly with your team—ask how they might have handled it differently.

Reflect with another founder on what uncertainty feels like—compare emotional and behavioral responses.

Ask an investor how they handle rejection—what mindset helps them keep moving forward?

Talk to another founder about how fear of failure shaped their journey—what advice would they give younger self?

Invite feedback on how you show up in ambiguity—do others see confidence, hesitation, or avoidance?

Invite feedback after making a bold investor ask—did they notice any hesitation in you?

Ask a peer founder how they know when fear is holding them back—compare it to your own cues.

Ask another founder to share a story where uncertainty created growth—what did they learn from discomfort?

Share a rejection story with your team—normalize setbacks and invite others to contribute.

Ask your investors for feedback on how you handle risk—do they see fear in you you don’t notice?

Share how you typically react when plans change—ask your team if they’ve noticed the same.

Ask your leadership team: “What’s one thing you wish I said or did more often?”—listen without defending.

Reframe “I’ll blow this pitch” as “I’m practicing courage”—focus on effort instead of outcome.

Reframe “I don’t know the market” as “I’m learning fast”—lean into the process over the gap.

Reframe “They’ll say no” as “This is a chance to practice courage”—treat the ask as the win.

Replace “What if I fail?” with “What might I learn if I try?”—shift focus from fear to discovery.

Change “This is unclear” to “This is open space for discovery”—explore with curiosity.

Replace “I might look weak” with “Trying is how I grow”—shift attention from judgment to growth.

View failure as iteration, not endpoint—what would a founder-scientist do differently here?

Turn “There’s no playbook” into “This is a chance to create one for our company.”

View rejection not as failure but as filtering—every no brings you closer to a fit.

Instead of “This must work,” say: “I’ll adjust based on what happens”—focus on flexibility.

Recast confusion as curiosity—ask one new question instead of freezing.

Instead of “What if they reject us?” ask: “What if one yes changes everything?”

Recast fear as training—each pitch makes you more resilient, not just tested.

View unpredictability as agility training—each unknown builds founder flexibility.

Recast rejection as feedback, not identity—what lesson can sharpen your next attempt?

Reframe high standards as growth pressure—not proof of worth—lean into learning.

Instead of “What if I’m wrong?” ask: “What might we learn by being wrong this time?”

Shift “They’ll think less of me” to “I’ll respect myself more for trying at all.”

Track when hesitation appears before a bold move—what fear-thoughts show up and shape behavior?

Notice when you delay a decision—are you unsure, or afraid of being wrong in front of stakeholders?

Watch how you act when unsure of investor acceptance—do you withdraw, over-explain, or go silent?

Observe a founder who takes bold shots—what mindset appears when results don’t match plans?

Track emotions when direction is unclear—do you freeze, rush, or ask clarifying questions?

Notice how confident leaders handle rejection—what can you learn from their tone and posture?

Watch how you recover from a bad demo—do you shut down, excuse, or reflect and adapt quickly?

Observe a CEO steering through ambiguity—what language do they use to instill calm and direction?

Track your inner dialogue after hearing “no”—does it spiral or stay constructive and forward-looking?

Notice your stance when others fail—judgmental, empathetic, or curious about learning?

Track your self-talk with new tooling—does it invite action or push toward retreat?

Observe when you pre-reject yourself with investors—what do you avoid just to avoid hearing “no”?

Notice how your body feels when you take a risk—tight, light, or heavy—use that awareness to stay present.

Catch moments when you crave guarantees—what would acting with partial clarity look like instead?

Catch micro-signals of approval-seeking with stakeholders—do you adjust too fast to avoid disapproval?

Catch yourself avoiding a bold outreach—what outcome are you imagining, and how likely is it?

Watch how new hires approach the unknown—what can you borrow from their open mindset?

Notice how people react to your vulnerability—do they reject you, or lean in with empathy?

MASTER Risk Hub