Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Founder Depression

blog.samaltman.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 210 posts

Re: Founder Depression

#71

Post by hkmurakami »

While the situation is most acute for founders, I feel that the general situation is true for most if not all professionals with strong aspirations.

You can't show weakness in public (web) for fear that a potential employer will flag you. You can't express your lament to many coworkers since it can come back to bite you.

Non-founders generally aren't subjected to the kind of lows that founders are, and have more room for camaraderie and confidants. But no matter who we are, it seems that were need to put on an air of invulnerability, and this bothers me immensely.

(And in general, I play the game as well)

Re: Founder Depression

#72

Post by tptacek »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #58
hippich wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sillysaurus3, two things: - if you are so sensitive (especially to random comment on interwebs), you should see specialist BEFORE you even start thinking about entrepreneurship. And make sure your doctor says "yes, you are good to go". - Yes, i never been through awful depressions. But I been in situation which probably could trigger it. I knew what I am doing, what I am capable of and that I can man it up. It is ok…

man it up. This is the same phrase that someone once used to tell Aaron Swartz to deal with his problems. Yes, i never been through awful depression It is ok to seek specialist attention, but then you are not ready for real world yet. It is like 300lbs fat kid will seek counseling because he can't withstand failures on a track. If you've never been through depression, you shouldn't speak as if you know whether someon…

Wouldn't we all be better off if this sub-thread just ended here?

Re: Founder Depression

#73

Post by lifeisstillgood »

I listened to a surprising podcast from John Lloyd (UK comedy producer deity (Spitting Image, BlackAdder etc))

He talked about his breakdown, about how he was fired from ten or so jobs and slowly came to a realisation that I think is worth repeating - that you can accept your life is yours, if possible live "with no fear and no blame"

I certainly don't suggest his approach is perfect but I is interesting to see someone widely successful and respected talking about the same fears and depression pervasive within us.

Look for Seun Hughes / John Lloyd on iTunes

Re: Founder Depression

#74

Post by tptacek »

kyro wrote: post #20

Can someone provide insight on life after a failed startup, in terms of career prospects? Often depression can make you feel as if you're failing on all fronts, that nothing will get better in the foreseeable future. Most of the time that really isn't true. You're often stuck in a temporary rut that your mind drastically exaggerates. But for a founder who's going through a dark time and whose startup ultimately fails…

Yes, it's easy to pick yourself up again. As major life events go, the failure of a startup is not one of the harder ones to metabolize (but it sure feels like it is in the middle of it).

Here's something I wrote a few months ago that covers the same ground:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7140231#up_7140423

Re: Founder Depression

#75

Post by hippich »

paulannesley wrote: post #36
hippich wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

wtf is that? yes, depression is bad, but YC should compensate treatment? Entrepreneurship is hard, everyone says that. So you should either expect to deal with consequences or not even get started. What kinda entrepreneur will graduate from YC if they have to be kinder-gardened?

“Might consider” vs “should”. There's insane cash and bullshit perks flying around the industry, why not something that genuinely helps the people behind the business, and likely the business itself.

As a hidden/unofficial perk - may be I would agree. But I doubt they would want attract candidate with that kind of perk (I wouldn't.)

Re: Founder Depression

#76

Post by yslhall »

I wish I could explain what I'm going through right now, as a founder, but I legally can't. The few people that know what I'm going through have said it's the hardest situation they've heard a startup founder in, ever. I hope to one day tell my story.

Let's just say, it involves dealing with somebody that developed severe mental illness, quickly.

Re: Founder Depression

#77

Post by Nanzikambe »

tossmeaway wrote: post #33

Father died in final year of college. Only child moved home to mourning mother(of course!) Went on huge sarge to find a women. Did side work, but focused on 2nd startup(1st one in back of my mind to reboot.) Failed. Arrogant and never found a full time job. Was in love and my girl needed to marry to stay in country. She was fine I thought while i went after my dreams. Finally found my 3rd idea and was working on skil…

I upvoted. Those are dark times indeed, I empathise. Keep on keepin' on, you'll get there. As an aside, this is evidently a poor forum for this discussion.

To the rest: the trough following a failure isn't depression, it's merely a stepping stone on a greater journey. Learn from it and move on, don't liken it to depression, which is for some, a day-to-day reality.

Re: Founder Depression

#78

Post by hippich »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #58
hippich wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sillysaurus3, two things: - if you are so sensitive (especially to random comment on interwebs), you should see specialist BEFORE you even start thinking about entrepreneurship. And make sure your doctor says "yes, you are good to go". - Yes, i never been through awful depressions. But I been in situation which probably could trigger it. I knew what I am doing, what I am capable of and that I can man it up. It is ok…

man it up. This is the same phrase that someone once used to tell Aaron Swartz to deal with his problems. Yes, i never been through awful depression It is ok to seek specialist attention, but then you are not ready for real world yet. It is like 300lbs fat kid will seek counseling because he can't withstand failures on a track. If you've never been through depression, you shouldn't speak as if you know whether someon…

seek all help you need. i do not see problem with that. just don't try to run a distance while not being ready for it. or, more accurate, run it, but expect failure and be ready to go through it to get better at running. and don't think YC or anybody also somehow owe you for failing. failing IS norm.

Re: Founder Depression

#79

Post by tempestn »

logicallee wrote: post #55

You can't afford to follow this advice. Saying you're crushing it is part of your 24/7 job description. There is a story of the founder who had just put a round together with a VC. Then, privately, the founder confided to a mutual friend, over dinner, about some of the difficulties. Result? The friend told the VC, the VC pulled out, and cited this conversation, saying that it was because his mutual friend said the co…

Doesn't sound like much of a "friend". Honestly if you're facing depression you can't afford not to talk. But ideally you would find someone trustworthy to talk to.

Re: Founder Depression

#80

Post by collinjackson »

zoba wrote: post #18

The app Secret seems to be a big vent for this feeling. I regularly see people posting about their own companies and feeling overwhelmed. The replies are always supportive and typically several are along the lines of being in the same boat.

Beware of trolls, though. Secret isn't immune from the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory
Post reply on HN