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Post YC Depression

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Re: Post YC Depression

#81

Post by aguyfromnb »

alaskamiller wrote: post #47
fab1an wrote: post #27

One of the advantages of running your own business is that you set the tempo and values of it yourself. You. No one else. If you end up with something that isn't working out for you, you're doing it wrong. At my previous company, one of our (somewhat implicit) values was "suffering is not a KPI". And even though there are times when things are rougher, these should be exceptions, not the rule. At the same time, worki…

Suffering, indeed, is not a KPI but your takeaway is off. I use Timing app to track my digital. I spin up at 11am, get reving by 1pm and don't stop until I pull up to the drive way at 1am or 2am. Monday to Sunday. There are plenty like me as owner-operators that put in the time/work to get shit done until there are enough rev to hire out. At the alphabet soup company we worked maybe 11am until 4pm, wrap up to go home…

>I spin up at 11am, get reving by 1pm and don't stop until I pull up to the drive way at 1am or 2am. Monday to Sunday.

This person's obviously crushing it.

Re: Post YC Depression

#82

Post by blueboo »

ramraj07 wrote: post #57
blueboo wrote: post #11

I admire this post as an exception to the usual cheerful failure porn. Failing sucks. But-I-learned-something is the very least you can achieve without being in a coma. The time is lost. Your waning bank account measures your (and maybe your families) prospects in an undeniably meaningful way. The silver lining is...there isn’t one. The loss of time, energy, and money is something to grieve for. Every day is a remind…

You can come out of a failed startup with something still, if you consider yourself to be the product. So perhaps people should constantly ask themselves if what they are doing every moment improves them in some way or not first? Perhaps if you don't feel that way doing entrepreneureal stuff perhaps you are not suited for it.

Every moment you're working, you're getting better at doing that thing, so there's that box ticked.

Now you can justify going down with the ship, because you're getting really good at bailing water.

Magical thinking to the very end...and beyond. Well, those VC furnaces need their coal.

Re: Post YC Depression

#83

Post by aguyfromnb »

ignoramous wrote: post #24
speedplane wrote: post #9

This article should be another datapoint in every entrepreneur's handbook that simply going through the YC and Silicon Valley VC community does not ensure good outcomes. Owning 100% of a company making $1M/year is far more rewarding and valuable than owning 1% of a company making $100M/year. Consider YC as a last resort if you have no other options.

> Consider YC as a last resort if you have no other options. I think you mean, consider "accelerators" / outside-investment from Angels and VCs as a last resort? YC can't be last resort, because it would be foolish to think you'd get in, given the quality of startups and founders that apply-- Might as well pack up bags and brush up on leet-code, instead, as that's a last-resort more likely to work.

>YC can't be last resort, because it would be foolish to think you'd get in, given the quality of startups and founders that apply

Have you considered that the best founders couldn't be bothered to join an accelerator?

Re: Post YC Depression

#84

Post by aguyfromnb »

saadalem wrote: post #56

From Patrick Collison : "While long hours can't be a goal, I worry that it's easy to mislead. As a descriptive matter, creating Stripe required obsessive intensity. Maybe better founders could have worked "smarter", but I do know that long hours were needed for us to build something great." https://twitter.com/patrickc/status/1135886195253284865

>but I do know that long hours were needed for us to build something great.

This is textbook selection bias.

Re: Post YC Depression

#85

Post by hef19898 »

drenginian wrote: post #80

People seem to become really attached to the validation from YC. Getting into an incubator or getting money from investors is zero measure of business success. Business success is users and growth and revenue. Whether YC blesses you is also zero reflection on you as a person. Rejection by YC means nothing at all. I think business is about trying to make money, it’s not about YC and funding and the scene and investmen…

Even YC is open about the fact that they are wrong with rejections. Also agree on the problem with VC money as a measure of success, because it is not. And still it used, it seems, as the prime success indicator in everything start-up. And as such is the primary thing people seem to seek out. It is also very persuasive, sometimes I catch myself with a small amount of jealousy when someone in my field is raising multi-million rounds. And wouldn't even take that money if someone offered it right now.

Re: Post YC Depression

#86

Post by sklarsa »

quelsolaar wrote: post #64

You have to work on something you are passionate about. If you work on Sundays because you cant keep yourself away from it, then great. If you work Sundays because you think if you work hard enough you will become rich and successful, then you are likely going to burn yourself out. Your life is NOW, be happy now. Don't push it off. If coding all day makes you happy do so. but if you rather hang out at the beach do so…

Thanks for posting this. I've been bouncing startup ideas around for a long time, but I feel that this comment will help to reframe my thought process in a positive and productive way.

Re: Post YC Depression

#87

Post by space-dandy2 »

StevenWaterman wrote: post #15

This was a good article, but I want to briefly call out that `6X more likely to suffer from ADHD` is not a useful stat when trying to argue that being a founder causes health issues. ADHD is present from birth and cannot develop as the result of trauma. It's still an interesting statistic, but for a different reason. People with ADHD are more likely to become founders, as they're more driven by passion, challenge, an…

You cannot say that with certainty... I developed ADHD from trauma

Re: Post YC Depression

#88

Post by sebastianconcpt »

Some good points but no diagnose or solutions beyond the expression of the problem.

Here is what I'd add for it:

I don't care if you're make or female, people need to improve constantly in 3 parameters for their whole life-span:

1. Looks (basically proper nutrition and some degree of bodybuilding training)

2. Psychological strength

3. Affluence

You need a life meaning mission that makes you feel good at improving these, using that mission as the vehicle. If you can do that, you'll be an example and all the rest will fall into place.

If you unbalance these, you'd be screwing up and diminishing the overall life-satisfaction returns.

Startups, or business, in general, are only going to (when they work) improve affluence and (always) consume psychological strength.

Proper nutrition and going to the gym (and I mean lifting HARD) falls into improving looks which also helps in relieving psychological and physical stress.

If you break that delicate balance you're investing in some kind of deformed creature that will eventually show. Hence, this kinds of depression wouldn't be a surprise to emerge as a manifestation of breaking that sustainable self-improvment equation.

Re: Post YC Depression

#89

Post by aerovistae »

sebastianconcpt wrote: post #88

Some good points but no diagnose or solutions beyond the expression of the problem. Here is what I'd add for it: I don't care if you're make or female, people need to improve constantly in 3 parameters for their whole life-span: 1. Looks (basically proper nutrition and some degree of bodybuilding training) 2. Psychological strength 3. Affluence You need a life meaning mission that makes you feel good at improving the…

I don't understand why you said "I don't care if you're male or female." Are you expecting someone to argue that either men or women don't need that?

Re: Post YC Depression

#90

Post by andygcook »

heavenlyblue wrote: post #46
speedplane wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For most people, owning 100% of a company making $1M/year would be preferable to owning 10% of a company making $1B. It's not just that money has decreasing marginal value. It's about what life you want to live. Being in control of your life, or of anything, is a huge benefit and comes with a big premium. When one company acquires a public company, they usually pay more than the public stock price. If you don't dri…

>> owing a car But there are no car rentals which would bring a car to your door in the next 15 minutes.

I saw this service mentioned in another HN article about YC life last week and thought it was interesting: https://drivekyte.com/

A driver delivers the car rental to wherever you want then leaves on an electric scooter.

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