Psychologist and founder coach Dr. Gena Gorlin joins me to discuss The Founder’s Mindset — how to stay hopeful, resilient, and creative while building something from the ground up. We talk about the psychology of entrepreneurship, why losing can be a sign of progress, and how to keep optimism alive amid a culture that often feels discouraged. I also share what inspired me to start The Hope Axis while running Interintellect as a solo founder. Hope you enjoy!
For the full transcript of our conversation, click here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/fo...
Important Links:
Substack – https://substack.com/@psychofambition
Website – https://genagorlin.com
UT Austin Faculty Page – https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psycho...
LinkedIn – / genagorlin
X (Twitter) – https://x.com/Gena_I_Gorlin
Show Notes:
(00:00) Intro
(00:49) Guest Introduction
(03:10) Getting Through Childbirth on “Let the River Run”
(14:02) Meeting Her Husband at an Ayn Rand Conference
(20:19) What People Get Wrong About Ambition
(22:37) Fake Arguments for Fun
(24:46) Giving Birth to an American Child as an Immigrant
(32:37)“Death Is the Default” — Facing Mortality with Clarity
(36:38) Accountability in Therapy and Finding Her Niche
(48:49) Founders: The Nervous Wrecks Building Amazing Things
(53:52) Why Credentials Don’t Matter in Tech
(55:47) Psychotherapy for the True Outliers
(01:01:32) The Cultural Lag in Mainstream Therapy — European vs. American Spirit
(01:10:13) Intellectual Humility as a Cop-Out
(01:15:18) Closing Remarks