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Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

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Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#41

Post by patio11 »

edw519 wrote: post #4

Five minutes after winning the presidential election of 1904, Teddy Roosevelt vowed not to seek re-election in 1908. Six minutes after, he regretted what he had just said. He tried to return in 1912, but failed and regretted his hasty decision the rest of his life. Why do I mention this? Because whenever I feel like I'm in a difficult situation (not all that much different from yours), I promise myself not to pull a…

What Ed said. I spent almost four years part-timing my startup while working day jobs. (At which ten hours a day would have felt like a nice refreshing breeze on a warm summer day, but that is neither here nor there.)

I also feel your pain on immigration issues. That was at least part of the reason why I had to do things the long way.

You can make progress while employed. Be disciplined about it, be smart in how you work, and above all don't give up.

Most of my good tips are here:

http://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/03/20/running-a-software-busin...

At the end of the process you'll have a company (successful for some definition of successful), a green card, and an excellent base from which to plot your takeover of the world. You might be surprised to know that at 28 or 30 or 32 having a successful company still makes you a huge anomaly among everyone you know. The discipline you learned while working will help you hugely, too, if you can maintain it.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#42

Post by keeptrying »

Focus on what you can and want to do. Not on what you can't change. In your situation this would be: 1. Get a better day job which is higher paying or which makes you feel better about your life in some way. Eg: let's you live near the beach or in NYC et . 2. Start proving in some fashion (eg: letters of intent from customers) that you have a great product. You think that the green card is the problem but if your a first time entrepreneur I can bet even if you had a gc the state of your company is not at the point you could go it alone right now. Be honest about this. 3. Save up some money. Your going to need this when you start on your own. 4. Date more American women. :) ... Even if you never find your wife thus way, it'll increase the quality of life... Well at least for sometime. :) 5. Average age of receiving a gc is 31. At least that's what I've seen. So hang in there.

Yes I ve been in your shoes. I got my gc but then realised that my idea/implementation was fundamentally flawed. Now I'm doing all of the above so I can quit in another 6 months.

Use this time to really vet your idea. 3. Seriously network with others

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#43

Post by huherto »

BinaryPie wrote: post #8

Keep on the path for your green card. 2 years is not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

And try to enjoy life in the mean time. Life is not about the destination, the trip is also important. You can do things on your free time, but you can also find ways to enjoy your job more.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#44

Post by huherto »

nostrademons wrote: post #14

Marry an American, get citizenship, then go found your startup. And never, ever think you're too old. Your situation sounds a lot like my dad's. He came here after college, finished his Ph.D in the U.S, then got screwed over in every industrial position he took. The immigration situation sucks in this country. You need a company to sponsor you, but the company realizes that you have zero leverage as a foreigner, and…

It is sad. But that is about the only thing you can do to become an american citizen.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#46

Post by immigrant »

I am in the same boat - at least a year away from my green card, working for BigCo, moonlighting, even turning 30 soon!

I've researched a couple of options to expedite green card processing and these may be applicable to your case - email johnbray8 at google's email service to chat.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#47

Post by mindcrime »

Tichy wrote: post #25
edw519 wrote: post #4

Five minutes after winning the presidential election of 1904, Teddy Roosevelt vowed not to seek re-election in 1908. Six minutes after, he regretted what he had just said. He tried to return in 1912, but failed and regretted his hasty decision the rest of his life. Why do I mention this? Because whenever I feel like I'm in a difficult situation (not all that much different from yours), I promise myself not to pull a…

But what is the Teddy Roosevelt decision, staying in the job or quitting? Saying "I have to be in America"? I am 37 now and I think time IS slipping away. (Note: I am not the OP)

I hear ya, bro. I turn 37 in about a month as well. Lately I definitely hear the clock ticking, and I'm feeling a sense of urgency I never had before.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#48

Post by elcron »

cookiecaper wrote: post #39
edw519 wrote: post #4

Five minutes after winning the presidential election of 1904, Teddy Roosevelt vowed not to seek re-election in 1908. Six minutes after, he regretted what he had just said. He tried to return in 1912, but failed and regretted his hasty decision the rest of his life. Why do I mention this? Because whenever I feel like I'm in a difficult situation (not all that much different from yours), I promise myself not to pull a…

Most of this advice is fine, but the working from home and using spare time on your project is dubious. I'm sure the OP isn't advocating working on your own project on company time, but you need to avoid even the appearance that you may be doing so. Just be very careful with it; the last thing you want to worry about it is IP disputes or lawsuits.

- Work from home a few days a week and squeeze in extra startup work with the time/energy you save.

I think he's referring to time saved by not having to commute, not using company time for the startup. If that's true then it seems like good advice.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#49

Post by sound »

Let me advise you something different, its valid & legal and it works perfectly fine... i know many have done this before by applying for Canadian permanent residency (same as USA green card) so that they at least have stability and dont have to worry about going back to home country. Canadian PR is easy and fast and you can work from Vancouver (close to silicon valley on Canadian side) and in the mean time keep working on your job & project... just in case if you want to work full-time on your startup then you can go to Canada and work from there, also once you've PR from Canada, you can go to US on visitors visa as many time as you want, this is good if you want to meet VCs and other project members. Also you can get Canadian citizenship within 3 to 5yrs after PR.

Do I sound like sales guy for Canadian immigration :-) anyway find an immigration lawyer who has knowledge of both countries (USA & Canada), again trust me this will be immensely helpful for planning your future and stability.

edit: by the way, once you get PR for Canada, you may migrate there and easily find a job that is not stressful, you can work for 40hrs and rest of the time you can work for your startup.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#50

Post by Tichy »

troutwine wrote: post #30
Tichy wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But what is the Teddy Roosevelt decision, staying in the job or quitting? Saying "I have to be in America"? I am 37 now and I think time IS slipping away. (Note: I am not the OP)

Statistically speaking, you've lived about half of your life. A little under, depending on country. I suppose you are a glass half empty sort of fellow? Really though, it's not so bad. We all face utter oblivion; the question is "When?" and not "If?" Live peacefully and with confidence. Be content that you do not live in Swaziland. Thirty-seven years is a long time to yet exist.

The thing is, I haven't done anything all that great yet (by my own standards). If I just keep going on as I did before (ie staying in boring jobs), how am I to expect that in my second half, something exciting will magically happen? Some opportunities are already gone forever, ie nobody will cast me as a singer in a boy group anymore (just saying). I keep hoping that one day there will be a market for rock stars who only started playing their instruments in their 60ies...

I don't think the glass is half empty. Despite all the problems, I think the world is an amazing place with countless interesting things to do. I am just not in favor of the "play it safe and keep your day job" advice, because time definitely is finite (though I am rooting for the singularity guys). I am not in a position to really advise against it, though - what if somebody quits their job and ends up broke and miserable? Everybody has to decide for themselves, I guess.

I think "fear is the greatest enemy" is true, though - what exactly is the day job buying you? Also think in opportunity costs - what could you do in the time you weren't working for the man?

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