Last night I was having dinner with a great young entrepreneur who was explaining to me that he has self-diagnosed himself as hypomanic (perhaps not clinically but certainly descriptively), and that he believes most good entrpereneurs actually are hypomanic, too. While in part jest, when he walked me through the symptoms of hypomania we both had a good chuckle thinking how many of these symptoms we see in ourselves and in many entrepreneurs we know.
If you look at Wikipedia’s definition of hypomanic, I am sure you’ll think of lots of successful entrepreneurs you know, if not yourself! According to that definition, a Hypomanic episode occurs when you have an elevated mood plus 3 of the following “symptoms:”
- pressured speech; rapid talking
- inflated self-esteem or grandiosity;
- decreased need for sleep;
- flight of ideas or the subjective experience that thoughts are racing;
- easy distractibility and attention-deficit (superficially similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder);
- increase in psychomotor agitation; and
- involvement in pleasurable activities that may have a high potential for negative psycho-social or physical consequences (e.g., the person engages in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)
Are you HypoManic?
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VCMike's Blog 
There’s actually a whole book about this as it relates to entrepreneurship. It’s an interesting read. The author spoke a few years ago at a VC event in Philadelphia.
Yes I am! Guilty on all counts.
So this is the personality type that claws their way up the economic ladder, and find their way to be in charge of social and political economic levers. Yeah, Enron, American foreign policy, mortgage meltdowns and opposition to healthcare is less of a shock in that context. We are whorshipping at the feet of boom bust personalities who’s only interest are themselves.
and they’re reckless too, hehe
Ohh now I know what I will call my boss. HypoManic 🙂 and thanks to your blog post I have another word that I know of and knows what the meaning of it. Thank you for sharing this to us.
This type of attitude reminds me of my friend. He has some of the symptoms that a hypo manic person has.Despite of his attitude I still accepts him as who he was.. But as of now were trying to help him to overcome or at least lessen his Hypo Manic behavior.
I wish I was, the need for less sleep would be good. I suppose I could live without everything else… Still confidence is an essential in this day in age though, right? Being a hypomanic isn’t ALL bad… Its quite interesting though that being a hypomanic seems to coincide with being a successful entrepreneur.
What a great article, I do know some people who fit this profile….
You’re describing my boss I guess… I’m forwarding this to my colleagues, they’ll have a good giggle about it!
This just made me laugh! Thanks for sharing this! but the last description disturbed me, how can entrepreneurs be good when he makes foolish investments?
If these symptoms are all signs of hypomanic then, i believe, that in this day and age, most of us are. we are all career driven and, thus, these symptoms eventually manifest.
I guess I am! too bad..Can you make a post of the solution or a cure
?
@Robin: I second that. The need for less sleep would be awesome.
@Austin: I agree that most career driven people have some of these traits. I wonder though, how much of it is the person and how much is the society we live in?
By that definition of hypomanic, most of my friends will fit the description… but they don’t make good entrepreneurs though. I know that for fact because some stupid decisions some of friends made in their life. 🙂
Sam
I don’t think one have to be hypomanic to be successful. I think most of these systoms are more like pressure, people who do not really know how to digest the pressure in life and reflect it in something else. Just we all need to know the point where need to relax.
Philips Sonicare FlexCare Plus
I know someone who fits exactly THAT description. It’s peculiar to note that this person has few genuine friends. Is it the personality? I’m not sure. But I’m beginning to suspect it partly is…
Mike
San Jose Property Management
Psychology really has to do with this because it is not just the entreprenuers who are experiencing this. Even the normal people also feel this but in a different mood. However, there is always a solution to this kind of problem most especially if you have come up with a perfect idea.
I have a friend who possess those qualities. She really needs help and she even consulted a psychologist for fast results. Does anyone knows a fast cure for this?
Hmmm….very interesting subject. Makes for a good conversation starter. San Jose Property Management
I think it is due to a heightened sense of purpose…we are on a make it or break it timeline…under a different type of pressure than say a government employee with sick days, IP days, holidays, Jury duty days, etc. Know what I mean?
What possibly might you call those experiencing the same symptoms but cannot be considered entrepreneurs? Or does the word only apply to those who, one way or the other, owns a business?
This definitely gave me a good laugh. I’m not sure if having some of these traits is a good thing or not. ha!