I am done. I give up • Hacker News Board

Re: I am done. I give up

#261

Post by Mikeb85 » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:22 PM UTC

drstewart wrote: post #216

pavlov wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of the underappreciated benefits of the Nordic-style welfare state: everybody can afford to fail. Unfortunately it's rarely discussed in society as such. The political parties that built these welfare states have traditionally been associated with worker unions, and entrepreneurship isn't high on their agenda. The Nordic right-wing parties got ideologically married to Thatcher-style neoliberalism and pref…

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All the Nordics combined have less population than California and have actually produced some decent startups.

Re: I am done. I give up

#262

Post by petodo » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:22 PM UTC

I don't really understand why did you expect different result? The vast majority of startups fail, the odds are against you. I could understand trying once, but try two more times and be surprised by result? But maybe there is something wrong with me for not following any influencers and stay down to earth.

Re: I am done. I give up

#263

Post by throwawaybbq1 » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:23 PM UTC

philippz wrote: post #57

You got a lot of good advice here. So I'll keep it short. I'm 32 now. I spent my last 12 years building companies. They all failed; I didn't earn a penny, and I didn't even get venture capital, and it made me feel like a failure. And I'm talking serious attempts. 6 years, 2 years, 1 year and in between a lot of research & freelancing to evaluate other ideas. I'm leading a 40 people team, and it's going well. How did…

How did you sustain yourself during periods of failure?

Re: I am done. I give up

#264

Post by paul7986 » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:23 PM UTC

This stuff is hard whether it's crickets for what you're working on to there's people knocking but you can never seal the deal. That has happened to me with various technologies (some require lots of capital from our pockets we aren't willing to put up) I've created with technical co-founders a few times. When it does it's time to take a mental health break. After a 3 to 6 months to over a year break I'll come back and start working on one of those technologies yet now it's only for fun.

Never do I now give it much thought of it ever making much to any money rather it's all for personal enjoyment.

I have gained something awesome through from my startups I've help build and that is tech skills I learned/now use to make a decent living in tech.

Re: I am done. I give up

#265

Post by possiblydrunk » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:23 PM UTC

All things end. The trick is knowing when to move on to the next thing -- quitting when things are bad, but also cashing out when things are good. Don't get stuck in the well.

I know it's frowned upon these days (perversely, in my view), but wow what resilience. @wakana should realize the value of that and how powerful that can be in the next endeavor. Maybe battered and bruised, but survived! In this case, maybe it was the wrong matchup - entrepreneurship isn't for everyone, or [bad] luck. Biggest mistake made was maybe hanging on too long -- resilience can be double-edged, too.

Re: I am done. I give up

#266

Post by melenaboija » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:24 PM UTC

kubb wrote: post #133

jurmous wrote: post #10

A big fact of the entrepreneur world is that it is hugely based on luck. Luck of finding the right idea, the right market, the right timing, the right connections, the right customers, the right employees, the right financing. The basic fact is that most startups and most entrepreneurial dreams fail or get consumed by another for their talent/clients. And as an entrepreneur you fight against all odds. Most will fail…

One of the privileges people don't often think about is being able to afford to fail. If you don't risk destitution after your startup fails, you can try and fail many times, learn and try again. It's like continuously rolling two dice, and you only need to get double sixes once, and after that it's private jets until you die. One of the many reasons the rich get richer and the poor, well you know how it goes.

What I have seen from others (I have not been able to do so) knowing that you can afford to fail beforehand is one of the biggest factors to succeed:

- Objectively is not an issue to fail and you know it

- It gives you the security to take risky decisions and at the end it is a matter of expectation, bet and see if you win. To me this goes along with the mantra that failing is not bad and you have to do so few times before you succeed. Obviously, the more you try the more chances you have. If you are not a casualty.

Re: I am done. I give up

#267

Post by wkat4242 » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:27 PM UTC

drstewart wrote: post #216

pavlov wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of the underappreciated benefits of the Nordic-style welfare state: everybody can afford to fail. Unfortunately it's rarely discussed in society as such. The political parties that built these welfare states have traditionally been associated with worker unions, and entrepreneurship isn't high on their agenda. The Nordic right-wing parties got ideologically married to Thatcher-style neoliberalism and pref…

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Spotify: Sweden

Re: I am done. I give up

#268

Post by brandelune » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:28 PM UTC

How many digital nomad influencers vs would-be entrepreneurs who keep wasting time on IT social networks? This ratio alone should make it very clear to you that most of that world is fake and just here to entertain you when you feel alone in front of your machine.

Re: I am done. I give up

#269

Post by blparker » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:29 PM UTC

philippz wrote: post #57

You got a lot of good advice here. So I'll keep it short. I'm 32 now. I spent my last 12 years building companies. They all failed; I didn't earn a penny, and I didn't even get venture capital, and it made me feel like a failure. And I'm talking serious attempts. 6 years, 2 years, 1 year and in between a lot of research & freelancing to evaluate other ideas. I'm leading a 40 people team, and it's going well. How did…

Thanks for sharing your story. Your experience is key—there may be a strong luck component to success, but with enough attempts, it seems that your luck increases. Often, hidden behind "overnight successes" is a trail of failures.

Re: I am done. I give up

#270

Post by memorable » Fri, Dec 23, 2022, 12:30 PM UTC

This is also something that I feel when trying out a new hobby like gamedev or music or art. I know it is definitely possible to have success on those, but I feel like it was such a reach.