8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

The thing I am most improved at at 31 vs. 17 is satisficing or half-assing anything unimportant and non-core (but doing it quickly, and ideally with as little ongoing involvement as possible), and focusing on what is actually core.

aka pick your battles.

And, relatedly, only fixing problems as they become necessary to solve vs. trying to do everything in the order of how interesting it is, or how difficult. A lot of problems just go away if you're successful, and almost all problems go away if you fail to complete earlier goals.

aka "I'll burn that bridge when I come to it"

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#5

Post by scottkrager » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 6:25 AM UTC

Being risky without betting the farm.

Nothing wrong with betting the farm at 21 & single.

Now, 27 & married, I've found that I'm much better at taking calculated risks without betting the farm.

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#6

Post by bemmu » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 7:11 AM UTC

But what is the secret algorithm to small talk?

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#7

Post by skmurphy » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 7:52 AM UTC

bemmu wrote: post #6

But what is the secret algorithm to small talk?

Three quick thoughts: 1. Relax. It's not a test or a contest, it's more like solving a puzzle together: what can we discover that we have in common. 2. Have a sense of warm curiosity about the other person. 3. Share details from your recent experiences and your reaction to them.

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#8

Post by dominostars » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 7:54 AM UTC

bemmu wrote: post #6

But what is the secret algorithm to small talk?

Pretending to know the secret algorithm to small talk.

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#9

Post by j_baker » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 8:06 AM UTC

"So it turns out that getting older isn’t all that bad. Sure, people say that 30 is the new 25 (or is it the new 18? I can’t keep up)."

Ahem... well based on the fact that we're seeing "startup advice from the ripe old age of 30", I'd say it's more like 30 is the new 60. And my experience in the Valley would seem to reinforce this. :-)

Re: 8 [Startup] Things I’m Better At Now That I’m 30

#10

Post by _b8r0 » Tue, Dec 07, 2010, 8:57 AM UTC

At 31, I've found that I've had sufficient opportunities to learn from the experience of screwing up to screw up less than in my 20s. I'm also fairly certain that the difference between success and failure is not screwing up enough for it to kill you.