highlighting this because I think it's important to think about where you are headed and what your plan is
If the answers are "a lot, quickly, yes, soon enough" a VC-backed model is probably the best answer. But you need to know the answers to the bootstrapped option as well.
The question of whether to sell it is a function of how much money you need in a lump sum, how precarious or stable your business is and how much cash it’s throwing off. And of course of diversification.
It’s not defacto true that you need to sell it to realise its value though
Is it really that bad? I hear mixed views here.
On a personal level, stress is going to be bad for you as well. But both high growth and low growth (below profitability that is) will give you stress, so if you don't want that health impact, look for a salary, not for equity...
So, I would advise you to look around you: what is your market? is it that highly competitive? can you still be in that market without competing (e.g. a highly fragmented market)? do you want to compete and can you avoid it?
Also keep this in mind: a VC-firm is meant to exit, if not immediately, then eventually. But, a bootstrapped firm also has to exit at some point too: you'll either have to sell it (maybe at a loss), shut it down, or pass it down (death comes for us all). Are you willing to do any of these? that's part of the answer to "do you want to compete?" above...