There's a concept in outdoor adventure circles called "Type 2 Fun." Unlike Type 1 Fun (immediately enjoyable activities), Type 2 Fun is often not fun at all while you're doing it but becomes enjoyable in retrospect.
I discovered this firsthand during my first half-marathon. Mile 10 was pure agony—legs burning, lungs screaming, mind begging me to stop. Nothing about that moment felt "fun." Yet crossing the finish line delivered a satisfaction that immediate pleasures rarely provide. Looking back, that gruelling experience transformed into one of my proudest memories.
This paradox perfectly describes the reality of engineering leadership in startups.