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Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

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Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#2
I have my finger in at least three project pies at once, and can't choose which would be right to follow.

Then, school starts in 3 weeks. I have no money, and many expenses. There's so much that I feel I need to learn before I can do anything useful - I've never made anything big from scratch, and am only now reading about good program design. I should 'work on open source' first, or put in appreciable time at a large company first. I should pay off my growing student debt first. It feels like I only become motivated to do real work when I'm about to be pulled away from my computer.

Excuses spring to mind so quickly. I don't think I should be starting a company right now; I think I should finish this last year of school and then work until I pay off my debt while learning practically, then move to a startup hotbed and join a small group, and then I should be involved in starting a company.

Unless, of course, the 'right idea' strikes at the 'right time', and I find myself working with a tireless passion all of a sudden.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#3
post #2

I have my finger in at least three project pies at once, and can't choose which would be right to follow. Then, school starts in 3 weeks. I have no money, and many expenses. There's so much that I feel I need to learn before I can do anything useful - I've never made anything big from scratch, and am only now reading about good program design. I should 'work on open source' first, or put in appreciable time at a larg…

It sounds that now is really not the time to start a company for you. Which is REALLY cool for you! Enjoy your life, school, your best years. Starting a company is hard and exhausting, and its never to late to do it.

I guess if you read HN you somehow feel guilty for now starting your startup :) Really shouldnt be the case in you situation. Enjoy school, get gob in big company (like Google, Apple), pay off debt quickly, then get job in startup, keep working within open source community, get some real world experiences. Maybe try yourself in sales or something not related to coding(was great experience for me). You will feel the moment once you have something that you really want to start for yourself. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#4
I guess I have a few issues -

1. Immigration - I am an immigrant which makes launching your own company hard. I have a few years before my permanent residency comes through

2. Point #1 can be very demotivating. I have some ideas, and I keep playing with projects [Nothing worth releasing, or even having much potential, mind you] but not knowing if and when I can actually do something about it proves very unsettling, and ambiguous

3. My work permit requires a full-time job. This can be very consuming as many other HN'ers know. Does not help with the motivational aspect of it

Despite all this, I have hopes. HN provides valuable insights, and stories like yours provide encouragement. Perhaps it will remain a dream, for I am already 32 and I don't know where I will be a few years from now.

Here's to hope! :)

[Congrats on your 3rd launch]

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#6
I hate you for asking me this because it is such an emotional issue for me. I've been asking myself the same question for over a year now. The answer has almost always been savings. I have a wife/house/car/loans and need at least $3000/month. The good thing is that I see the light at the end of the tunnel. July 2009, I thought I'd start in Feb 2010. Feb 2010, I thought I'd start in July 2010. Right now I'm aiming for next month. I know it's a moving target but it is getting really really close. If magic-pixie-unicorn-fairy gave me $6k no-strings-attached, I'd do it today. Otherwise I think by mid-Sep, I'll be in a good position to dive right in. Counting days at this point...

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#8
If by "start" you mean "quit your job and start full-time" then I won't because I have an unemployed spouse and 2 young children (and my current salary doesn't facilitate any savings).

Of course, nothing stops me from working it once the kids go to bed but it's frustrating, tiring and is taking a very very long time... and then lack of motivation and/or distractions are big problem.

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