The investor who drags you around the investor committee and due diligence processes for months and months, only to drop at the last minute with a BS reason, and later invests in your direct competitor.
The cofounder who consistently fails to pull his weight but nonstop complains about the lack of appreciation (as if appreciation has to only come from you), who eventually pulls the rug out under you by suddenly resigning as you’re desperately trying to close the funding round and making the investors give it a pause.
The employee for whom you as the founder really gave everything but eventually not only ditches you but also badmouths you behind your back because everybody needs a justification and the easiest thing to do is to throw somebody else under the bus.
The new boss who came from a BigCo who pulled a corporate politics jujitsu move to get you out the door to make room for her former staff, when the only wrong thing you did was to work your tail off for this company for years.
Don’t hate them – they’re just doing their job. It’s nothing personal (in most cases). They’re just making decisions that they think are in their best interest. In many cases, after some time, they might even forget why they had made such a decision. Forget about them and move on. We only live once and we ain’t got no time for a**holes. Nobody likes people who give out a low key jaded vibe.
But make sure to take revenge – in the form of success and love. Channel whatever hate you might have into building a 10x product and maniacally focusing on users and growth. Fiercely love your loved ones and over-give to your tribe.
People can and will throw all kinds of sh*t at you but nobody can take away your inner resiliency and drive for success.
Make them regret their decision. Make them realize you were the bigger person the whole time. Make them realize losing you was their big time loss. And later when you meet them, give them a bear hug – they played a big part in shaping the great and successful person that you are.