The people who’ve had the biggest impact on my life didn’t just support me. They fought for me—even when it cost them something.
Here’s how I learned to do the same—and build community rooted in unwavering support and shared purpose.
A Tale of Two Partnerships
Early in my career, I had a partnership that looked great on paper. We did what “smart entrepreneurs” do: hired lawyers, wrote airtight contracts, planned for every contingency. We tried to protect ourselves from everything that could go wrong. What we didn’t prepare for however, was how we’d treat each other when things got hard.
Pressure mounted. Expectations clashed. Walls formed.
Eventually, my partner began to see me as a threat. And instead of working through it, he shut me out. All that legal protection? Useless.
The problem wasn’t the paperwork. The problem was the relationship.
The partnership fell apart—not because the terms were wrong, but because the way we showed up for each other was.
Years later, I entered another partnership. This time: No contracts. No lawyers. No fine print. And yet, that partnership thrived. Not because the terms were better—But because my partner was. He didn’t just listen. He sought out my perspective. He asked questions to understand my goals—not just push his own. Eventually his approach rubbed off on me and something rare and extraordinary happened:
When things got tricky, we didn’t double down on protecting ourselves.
We advocated for each other.
I wasn’t willing to win at his expense.
He wasn’t willing to win at mine.
We became each other’s greatest allies—Not because we had to, but because we chose to.
We found solutions that worked for both of us. We weren’t adversaries looking for leverage. We were allies looking for alignment. And that shaped how we led the whole company.
I remember one time, we fired a client for mistreating our team. It cost us revenue—but earned us something better:
Loyalty. Respect. Trust.
The kind you can’t fake. And definitely can’t buy.
It’s Hardest When it Matters Most
This kind of connection isn’t just for business partners. It shows up in marriage and parenting too. And yet, these are the relationships we struggle with the most—despite how much they matter.
How many marriages start in love—and end in resentment? How many parents mean well—but leave their kids feeling unseen?
Why? Because the stakes are higher.
With a stranger, the risk is low. But with A spouse? A child? A business partner? It’s not just awkward—it’s everything.
Happiness. Legacy. Livelihood.
The more it matters, the more we guard ourselves. So we pull away. We protect. We argue for our point of view—even when it creates distances. And the people we love most? They’re often doing the same thing because the stakes are high for them too.
The relationships that matter most are often the ones we show up worst for.
Not because we don’t care—But because we’re scared to lose what matters. Breaking that pattern is a practice worth pursuing.
You’re right. You Can’t Find a Partner Like That.
They are rare. I was lucky. But the real shift didn’t come from having a partner that cared. It came from becoming one. So, if you haven’t found someone who shows up that way…
Be the one who goes first.
Thankfully, we’ve already discussed three core practices to help us get there. Let’s review them.
Practice 1: Talk to Yourself (Create Shared Understanding)
You’ve learned to listen to your own thoughts with care. Now use that same skill to understand someone else. Don’t listen to agree. Listen to understand. When it gets uncomfortable—stay with it. Once you both feel seen, something shifts:
You stop making sense of the world alone—You start making sense of it together.
Practice 2: Let Go (Create Shared Safety)
You’ve been learning how to feel safe enough to loosen your grip. Now bring that into your relationships. Listen without feeling threatened. Speak in a way that makes others feel safe.
Let them know:
I’m not here to destroy your vision. I’m here to build with you. To improve it. To make it ours.
Practice 3: Make Things Happen (Create Shared Momentum)
You’ve learned that small, meaningful steps unlock momentum. Same goes for relationships. Start with small gestures of generosity. See who meets you there—who builds, reciprocates, or pays it forward. Don’t waste energy trying to convert the wrong people.
Find the ones who meet you in the effort—Double down and grow together.
Want to Try It?
This week, pick one person who matters to you. When you’re with them, ask:
“What’s something you wish I better understood about you?”
Then listen.
Not to fix. Not to respond. Not to defend. Just listen. That’s it.
See what happens when you hold space for them—and let understanding lead the way.
—Stavros
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This isn’t just a content series. It’s a movement to redefine what success means—and we’d love to have you with us.
This is the fifth article in a 7-part series on The 5 Practices of Entrepreneurial Freedom. In the next article, we’ll dive deep into the final practice: Keep It Simple—and explore why complexity is often just lazy thinking in disguise—and how simplicity can unlock unparalleled growth.
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