Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#101

Post by fallentimes » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 7:29 PM UTC

fallentimes wrote: post #73

unalone wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I allowed to disagree and say that I'm one of the rare males who doesn't find the prospect of sex remotely interesting unless I really care about the girl? I've tried getting shitfaced and hooking up, and even at my drunkest I find the prospect entirely repulsive. As a freshman: I'm not really into the whole "college experience" thing. I've been in better situations before. A friend and I are making our start-up,…

To each his own. I'll have my girls, you have you startup :).

*I'll have my girls, you have your startup. Smiley face.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#102

Post by op12 » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 7:53 PM UTC

1. There is a big difference between understanding something and appreciating something

2. Remember that you can make the right decision and get the wrong outcome

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#103

Post by mattmaroon » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 8:07 PM UTC

fallentimes wrote: post #75

mattmaroon wrote: post #33

I'd probably just give myself a sports betting almanac. Until you asked that question I never fully appreciated Back to the Future 2.

Would sports be fun if you already knew what was going to happen? Speaking of gambling. I'm going to Vegas for a week during March Madness. Let me know if you'll be in town for a poker tournament.

No but it would be hella profitable. The rest of life would be more fun with an unlimited source of funds.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#104

Post by fallentimes » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 8:21 PM UTC

mattmaroon wrote: post #103

fallentimes wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would sports be fun if you already knew what was going to happen? Speaking of gambling. I'm going to Vegas for a week during March Madness. Let me know if you'll be in town for a poker tournament.

No but it would be hella profitable. The rest of life would be more fun with an unlimited source of funds.

I don't think it'd be worth it. Unless I could delete my memory.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#105

Post by wingo » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 8:25 PM UTC

I would give myself a copy of "Disciplined Minds" by Jeff Schmidt. It explains so many things I didn't understand then.

It is probably the most important book that I have read in the last five years.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#106

Post by Alex3917 » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 8:58 PM UTC

pg wrote: post #3

Don't worry about trying to impress people. Just work hard on things you like. Don't get into debt.

Rephrased for chiasmus double bonus points:

Work hard on what you like, not on what's thought hard work.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#107

Post by jodrellblank » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 9:03 PM UTC

"Hi, I'm you from the future. It's critically important that you visit $country ASAP. Heck, it's important enough that they sent me back through time to tell you! You! Here's some money, go to this place and speak to this person. Go on your own".

Hopefully, convincing myself to go. The place isn't important, except that it's more than a day's travel, and the person would be some generic description who's likely to be there, and the cash wouldn't be enough to get back.

Or maybe the place and person would be someone interesting who I'm yet to hear of. Not sure.

The experience, maybe it would be enough of a kick to change my life for the better. I needed it. (I still need it).

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#108

Post by ryanwaggoner » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 9:04 PM UTC

comatose_kid wrote: post #18

Don't work for a large company straight out of school. Move to Silicon Valley. Don't buy a sports car - every penny you save is one step closer to not having to work for someone else.

Not sure I'd agree. I would say that it's a huge benefit to have worked for a large company, but don't stay more than a year, two at the most. You don't really appreciate the hell of a corporate environment until you've worked in one for a bit.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#109

Post by fallentimes » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 9:06 PM UTC

pg wrote: post #95

mamama wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if working hard on what I like could potentially get me into debt? Or what if I like to impress people?

I mainly mean you should avoid consumption debt-- you should avoid living beyond your means. Debt incurred as part of a project your'e working on could be ok. (Could.) If you work hard on things you like, you will impress people.

Before TicketStumbler I at one point had 90k worth of credit card debt to finance my first business. That business was a lot more stressful than TS.

Re: Ask YC: What would you tell your younger self?

#110

Post by dotcoma » Sat, Nov 22, 2008, 9:43 PM UTC

fallentimes wrote: post #74

nostrademons wrote: post #6

Cheer up. The people who say that your teenage years are the best in your life are the same folks that are beating you up, and life goes downhill fast for them after graduation.

Hear, hear. Your arch nemesis will end up with a kid, no money and a job as a male stripper before the ripe age of 22.

is a job as a male stripper bad?