71–80 of 93 posts
They only are if you decide they are failures. Use those "failures" as a platform.
Chances are you are not alone in this. I know, I am reading into this and I am seeing myself. You are me.
There are lots of us in this boat.
Remember, this is our platform.
I pulled out of a failing startup that I was bootstrapping. I wrote tons of code, and built a product, that several people in the industry told me was great, and they would love using it. Unfortunately, it failed from a business standpoint. ... then I spent some time thinking about what I did wrong, and I think that we've made the same mistake.
I ignored people in my business. At the end of many days, I would rather sit in a room and write code rather than go out into the world, network with people that could collaborate with me, or even just be friends. Look at other business people - they can't code, but they have a problem to solve, they get organized, they motivate other people, they solve problems. But the world isn't about code. Programming is one profession, and there are many, many other ways to lead a successful and happy life.
Look at the pattern in your work: Money isn't a concern for you. It looks like you're setting out to create meaningful value, or to "be someone", at least in your own eyes .... tbh, there are many, many other ways to do that rather than start your own company. But you're doing it for its own sake, not because you have a problem you want to solve. You can be entrepreneurial within a system, working for a company. You can apply for grants to work on problems that are relevant to people. Given your opportunity costs, it's likely that it's not particularly lucrative for you. For most people, a job is just a way for them to sustain their family and personal life ... nothing wrong with that either. Based on your actions, the most important thing to you doesn't seem to be to create value, but to make a contribution while avoiding other people and institutions. Are you dating, do you have a family, are you in shape? There are many other ways to get value in your life.
You're living in the "hacker news" bubble. As a demographic, we are generally male, often single, highly skilled with computers, slightly introverted, and abhorrent of institutions. Because we're good with computers, we use this as are catch-all answer to life's questions. Pretend you were somebody else - somebody who is a non-nerd. What would you do?
tl;dr; My advice is to get out in the world, become part of communities (itrw), and make sure that you are getting fulfillment in other ways. Code is the solution you're familiar with, but no amount will not solve any of your problems, guaranteed.
I'm desperate. You may think you're desperate, but you're not. Keep reading... I'm almost 38. Start programming at 10. Spent 7 years in video game industry as programmer, project manager, CTO. None of that matters. Today is Day 0. I tried during 5 years to create a "startup". You don't "create a startup". You supply solutions to other people's problems. When you do that properly, a "startup" is often the byproduct. F…
Those are all very solid points towards accomplishment, but I wanted to play devil's advocate for a moment. I'm in the same boat - started programming at 12, am 35 now with no real monetary success to speak of. However, I've gone deeper into computers than I ever thought I would. I could build a computer from the ground up, everything from logic gate design to mask layout to microcode and assembly language, up throug…
I don't know how to create that kind of society, but you're right, it's going to take a lot more than the current startup scene to do.
Stop reading all the startup blogs. IMO, that's mostly wasted time. Spend this time doing things you love, step out of your comfort zone and try something new (e.g. hobby). Maybe you'll find out that your "startup idea" is an interactive online climbing guide.
Source: I'm 23.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and get a full time job. You need to accept that you're not good enough to start your own company. It's okay, there are millions of people like you, like me and most people on HN. Take a break, go on a vacation, and recharge your batteries. You have the skills to have a well-paid job, and a great life. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth just because you had a failed dream of being a…
Good enough don't enter into it--luck more than anything. The wrong product at the right time can help you laugh all the way to the bank, while the perfect product when nobody is buying will languish in obscurity.
> "while the perfect product when nobody is buying will languish in obscurity"
That's not "unlucky" at all. That's not researching the market properly.
I think we've all been there. Some more than others. The only cure for boredom that I know of, is to go find something new. Maybe it's a cooking class, learning to paint, or making music. Puzzle/game/trivia nights. Auto racing. Wine tasting. Beer making. Book clubs. I can go on just listing random things, but you get the idea.
Once you invest your time in these things for long enough, you may find yourself thinking, "how can I make X better?" You'll probably start with solutions using tech, and branch out from there. Soon you're using your creative brain to solve problems that matter to you.
Passion, creativity, and persistence are things that can give you everything you need to get going. Everything after that is business execution, which I cannot help with.
Sounds like some kind of motivation/identity crisis or burnout syndrome. I have a proposal that might sound strange and maybe you cannot do it for family reasons or whatnot... but it worked wonders for me and I think it's worth sharing. Have you ever heard of Camino de Santiago? It's a pilgrimage route across Spain and I walked that when I was in some sort of personal crisis and I needed to clear my head and figure o…
Academics.Take a six month break from everything. Come back and kick ass.