<p>Hey friends 👋</p><p>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.</p><p>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).</p><p>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.</p><p>Some of our favorite reality checks from this one:</p><p>* “Nobody buys technology. People buy outcomes.”</p><p>* “Validation over vibes. Intent over interest. Data over dogma.”</p><p>* “Winners don’t never quit—they quit everything that doesn’t work.”</p><p>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.</p><p>Stop lying to yourself. Start shipping. Get the data.</p><p>— Cameron and JDM</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://zerototraction.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">zerototraction.substack.com</a>
