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

Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

thoughts.jatintiwari.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 57 posts

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#21

Post by stoneman24 »

yodsanklai wrote: post #18
clauderoux wrote: post #4

I reached 60 this year... So please give me a break with this idea that you are old at 60 in 2024. My mind is as sharp as it was 20 years ago... I have decided to train myself on LLMs after years of research in computational linguistics, the old way with grammar rules. And this experience in linguistics has proven so far quite rich as it gives me a different take on these incredible tools. This idea that you should d…

> So please give me a break with this idea that you are old at 60 in 2024 Well, brain decline is documented and starts well before 60, but maybe we're not equal. I'm 50, and I can tell my mind isn't as sharp as it used to be. My memory isn't as good, and I feel complex mental tasks require more energy. It seems I've lost a layer of cache. That being said, I'm not done yet, I'm still able to do my job (SWE in a compet…

While the decline is documented, there is much to be said for the more experienced employee. More knowledge about what is important in the domain rather than what might be the current fad.

In a competitive environment, certainly take advantage of your colleagues youth and inexperience.

The most problematic area is some people’s assumptions that you are too old to contribute. This might be misunderstanding or deliberate as they want less objections to their plans (or exploitations).

Being your boss might be an ideal solution.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#22

Post by DavidPiper »

jjoe wrote: post #10

My old man is in his 80s. I run a small brick & mortar business. I figured I'd bring him in and keep him busy -- do him a favor and perhaps help slow down his cognitive decline. But it turns out I was the one who needed him around. He's meticulous with the bookkeeping and really good at crunching numbers with pen & paper. It dawned on me... they don't make people like this anymore...

Slightly OT, but my opinion is they do still make people like this, our businesses just don't demand high-quality work as consistently as they used to, particularly for the kinds of work where software is marketed as the solution (across many functions).

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#23

Post by DavidPiper »

sage76 wrote: post #15
james-bcn wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. As someone in my mid-50's I find the attitude to many people towards age really bizarre. I've just got back from trail running in the mountains. I'm fitter and healthier now than I was in my mid-30s, and haven't noticed any kind of cognitive decline at all, in fact I think I'm much more mentally able now because I read a lot and so have picked up a lot of knowledge. The only noticeable change is now I have to…

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird. I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

I have been one of these people. The (lack of) fitness is a huge part of it.

But also, some of us just feel like we're in a rush, and we see the people around us doing and achieving things that we'd like to have done already. If you don't have kids by 30 and want them, there's a lot of nonsense telling you that time is gradually running out, etc.

Our worship of youth (relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROJKEwYEx8Q) starts hitting different at a surprisingly young age. I assume it's far worse for women too.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#24

Post by busterarm »

DavidPiper wrote: post #22
jjoe wrote: post #10

My old man is in his 80s. I run a small brick & mortar business. I figured I'd bring him in and keep him busy -- do him a favor and perhaps help slow down his cognitive decline. But it turns out I was the one who needed him around. He's meticulous with the bookkeeping and really good at crunching numbers with pen & paper. It dawned on me... they don't make people like this anymore...

Slightly OT, but my opinion is they do still make people like this, our businesses just don't demand high-quality work as consistently as they used to, particularly for the kinds of work where software is marketed as the solution (across many functions).

I think it's more like software is able to handle the cognitive dissonance of managing years of a company's books and seeing in plain numbers that they don't make any money and are just burning investor cash until the party ends.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#25

Post by busterarm »

sage76 wrote: post #15
james-bcn wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. As someone in my mid-50's I find the attitude to many people towards age really bizarre. I've just got back from trail running in the mountains. I'm fitter and healthier now than I was in my mid-30s, and haven't noticed any kind of cognitive decline at all, in fact I think I'm much more mentally able now because I read a lot and so have picked up a lot of knowledge. The only noticeable change is now I have to…

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird. I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

My aunt did Ironman into her late 60s but it's not because she was "young and full of energy" it was because "she is an absolute psychopath and it affects every aspect of her life".

Last I counted she has 5 current ongoing civil lawsuits, on both sides of the courtroom. Two of her own children won't speak to her and the third is getting there.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#27

Post by Dalewyn »

sage76 wrote: post #15
james-bcn wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. As someone in my mid-50's I find the attitude to many people towards age really bizarre. I've just got back from trail running in the mountains. I'm fitter and healthier now than I was in my mid-30s, and haven't noticed any kind of cognitive decline at all, in fact I think I'm much more mentally able now because I read a lot and so have picked up a lot of knowledge. The only noticeable change is now I have to…

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird. I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

I'm 35, I consider myself old. Why? Objectively speaking, I simply can't do what I could during my 10s and 20s anymore. It's a fundamental change from becoming able to do more things as I got older, now I can do less things as I get older and that's sad.

Anecdotally speaking, I'm just tired of nearly everything and I have nothing I could call life aspirations or dreams. I'm satisfied if I get through another day in peace.

Some people are young until the moment they croak, some are old from the moment they gain real awareness and agency, but most people cruise from young to old on a biological slide.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#28

Post by hsbshs »

sage76 wrote: post #15
james-bcn wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. As someone in my mid-50's I find the attitude to many people towards age really bizarre. I've just got back from trail running in the mountains. I'm fitter and healthier now than I was in my mid-30s, and haven't noticed any kind of cognitive decline at all, in fact I think I'm much more mentally able now because I read a lot and so have picked up a lot of knowledge. The only noticeable change is now I have to…

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird. I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

Thats cause age doesnt signal what stress or trauma you have dealt with in life.

Depends totally on the life experience of the person. Look at the reactions of friends and family to the Luigi Mangione story. They are all universally suprised and shocked. Why?

Cause the assumption is a well educated well off 26 year old can handle what ever the environment throws at them.

Re: Starting a Business at 60: My Father's Story

#29

Post by ghxst »

Dalewyn wrote: post #27
sage76 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's people who call themselves old at 30. I don't know if it is an excuse or what....but it's weird. I know a 50 year old personally who finished ironman triathlon.

I'm 35, I consider myself old. Why? Objectively speaking, I simply can't do what I could during my 10s and 20s anymore. It's a fundamental change from becoming able to do more things as I got older, now I can do less things as I get older and that's sad. Anecdotally speaking, I'm just tired of nearly everything and I have nothing I could call life aspirations or dreams. I'm satisfied if I get through another day in p…

Please don't take this in bad faith but unless you're struggling with health related issues these limitations seem rather self imposed. Your second paragraph makes it sound like it's mental rather than physical, have you considered a mentor or life coach?
Post reply on HN