Probably not the right tweet for Valentine’s Day, but this post by Ben Horowitz holds true not just for founders, but for everyone.

I used to have a mentor. She had interviewed me for a job I landed. I used to often reach out to her for advice (but mainly to complain about work issues) until one day she told me to stop crying and figure out how to operate despite the various issues at office (real or imaginary).

All companies are messy. There’s politics. You won’t like everyone. Stop complaining and do your job.

This was roughly the advice.

I was upset then. I felt betrayed. But it was the best thing anyone did for me.

People will think the takeaway is that you should continue in a toxic environment. It is not that. I keep telling people that every company is broken in its own way. You decide what you care about, the things you are willing to tolerate, but also your non-negotiables.

No matter what you decide though, just know that it is your decision. People might give some sympathy. You might get the confirmation bias you want. But no one really cares. Apart from you. Other people have their own battles. Their own decisions to make.