Issue 126, Part Time CEO Newsletter

Hey, it's Dhiren 👋,

Last week, I wrote about the difference between perspective and perception—how the way we see things isn’t always the way things are.

This week, that idea hit me on a whole new level. I’m in Egypt right now, on a solo diving trip—four days alone with nothing but the ocean, my thoughts, and a whole lot of silence.

And in that silence, I caught myself stuck in a story.

“Why am I out here alone?”

“What’s the point of doing this if there’s no one to share it with?”

It felt… sad. Empty, even. But here’s the thing—it wasn’t true.

The Red Sea was right in front of me. The adventure I had dreamed of was right there. But my own story was stealing it from me.

And it made me realize: in business, founders fall into this trap all the time.

Bullet One​
​🧠 You’re Not Playing to Win—You’re Playing Not to Lose
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Founders don’t just build businesses—they build stories about their businesses.

Stories like:

“I can’t afford to take that risk right now.”

“What if I screw this up?”

“I’m not ready to let go yet.”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most founders aren’t playing to win—they’re playing not to lose.

Why? Because hustle culture glorifies the grind and demonizes failure.

We’re told that slowing down is weakness and mistakes are the end of the road. So instead of pushing forward, you play it safe. You avoid risks, delay big decisions, and cling to control.

And all the while, the story running in your head says, “Better safe than sorry.”

Here’s the thing

Bullet Two​
​🧠 The Cost of Getting This Wrong

Here’s where it connects back to perspective vs. perception:

The perception in your head might say, “I’m not ready for this.”

But if you shift your perspective, you might realize, “I’ll never be ready until I take the leap.”

On this trip, when I stopped telling myself the story of loneliness, everything changed. I remembered why I came—to dive deeper, challenge myself, and embrace the unknown.

Your business is the same. You didn’t start this just to survive—you started it to win but

Your Turn: Rewrite the Story

So here’s the question I want you to sit with this week:

• Is the story in your head pushing you forward—or holding you back?

You get to choose the story that runs your business.

Make it one that lets you play to win.

p.s: If this issue hit home, share it with a founder you know who’s stuck in a story that’s holding them back. They might just need this nudge to start playing to win.

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🧨 DHIREN'S UPDATES 🧨 Me and my dive guide - bright and happy as can be

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Dhiren Bhatia ​Founder, Elevated Entrepreneur ​ElevatedEntrepreneur.co​ ☎️ Book a 1:1 Clarity Call​

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