Attn: Startup Founders, You Need a Hobby | Hacker News Reader

Attn: Startup Founders, You Need a Hobby

entrepreneurialactivism.com

27 pointsCmccann724 comments

I completely agree that hobbies are largely beneficial to the mental health of founders. I have several, and they help keep me sane.

On a side note, how much money does this guy HAVE? I mean, 'scuba diving with sharks'? 'Spelunking in New Zealand'?? 'Riding sheep at a rodeo'?!

My hobbies include things like crossword puzzles, tennis, frisbee, piano, and knitting. They are great for the startup budget. Also, video games.

I like how among those he has stuff like "make fire" :)

Yea, some of my other startup fwenz and I have planned out playing games about 3 years after they come out so that we can get them on the cheap. And we figured this out before the xkcd comic of the same topic. xD

I can recommend one 'hobby' above all, especially for programmers and all people working intensely on projects: rock climbing!

It's a great hobby/sport: It is free (just get the initial equipment: shoes and a harness), you'll get to wonderful places in nature, it's exciting and challenging, you'll get better very quickly and notice it, you'll meet many nice people, it's a great combination for using both body and brain(!), and most of all: It forces you to stop thinking about projects! If you climb, your mind will be _instantly_ free of all everyday business.

Imo the easiest way to start is finding a beginner climbing group around your location; there are plenty - especially in the US and Europe.

Rock climbing is a great idea! Some of my friends used to climb in San Luis Obispo but I never set aside the time to join them and learn. I'll have to add this to the list, thanks for the suggestion :)

I agree with the message but this post is really lacking. Only 2 sentences are spent on why founders need hobbies and much more on a list that, as one of the other commenters already pointed out, is irresponsibly expensive for most founders. It would be better to hear how a founder with a hobby is more successful thanks to his hobby.

Not only is it irresponsibly expensive, those don't really sound like hobbies (not in the context they are putting it anyways). A hobby is something you dedicate and involve yourself with that isn't your profesional line of work - which means spending a significant amount of time with it. Doing something once or twice is not a hobby.

The items on that list sound more like Bucket List items - something you'd do once and never again. That makes an experience, not a hobby.

I do agree with the premise though - it's important to have hobbies. Personally I do a lot of photography - film specifically so I can spend less time in front of the computer.

Mine is running. You don't have to do much prep, and you can do it anywhere. It's great because it works well in groups like a running club or a race. But it is also amazing to just take off and clear your head all by yourself.

I've met a surprising amount of founders that run.

+1 to running -- I used to run with music, but find it more clarifying to run with only the distraction of being where ever I am.

I'm the same way. I use to have a "running mix" on my iphone. But one day the earphones broke and I just listened to the sounds around me. It really helped me relax. Almost like a moving meditation. I definitely recommend the music-less run!

I'm a runner too, but I found out that it is not the best activity to stop thinking about a topic. My mind keeps wandering around, unless I run so fast that I'm totally exhausted for the rest of the day.

As I recently discovered that activities which require your undivided attention work better for me. My meditation is motorcycling and downhill biking :)

Hobbies are great. Crafts are even better. (i.e. things that you can get better at indefinitely like playing an instrument)

While those are all dandy and great activities, I think I say for all of us here that doing a startup is our hobby and life because it's the most exhilarating and fulfilling way to spend our time.

Same here, but doing any one thing day in and day out has a tendency to make you necrotic.

It's just like when you are taking a shower and an idea hits you, it's because you aren't focusing on work and you are in complete silence. You need time to relax, recharge, and recover. Believe me I only learned this through experience, but you need a break every now and then.

Totally agree. Plus, I find that hobbies & activities unrelated to my startup can actually help. I'm a big believer in lateral thinking, and one great way to practice lateral thinking is to shift your mind onto other, unrelated topics.

I was reading this article from the founder of Kayak earlier today: http://onstartups.com/tabid/3339/bid/12604/Startup-Insights-... and he mentioned something interesting. Despite being a travel startup, he avoids hiring people from the travel industry. I believe that's because he sees value in having people with different modes of thinking.

And in a way, that's kind of what a hobby does for you. It puts you into a different mode of thinking, which can come back and benefit your startup. :)

Just my $0.02.

Stefan Sagmeister says something similar in his TED talk "The power of time off". Every seven years his firm takes a year off to travel, work on hobbies, and kick around ideas. He goes on to say that some of those ideas influence most of their work for the next seven years, allowing them to consistently produce fresh and amazing work.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_pow...

my girlfriend, modern warfare 2 (xbox), hitting the gym, and the occasional night out w/ the guys keeps me sane...but you're right, there's no bigger thrill than the challenge of starting a company

Agreed. Best thing for me so far has been climbing. Its physical, social, is relatively cheap, involves problem solving and I have fun doing it — a great combination for me. Feeling myself grow with something that is so different from my work is also pretty awesome.

I think anybody that is challenged daily with alot of problem solving and creative thinking should have a psychical hobby. Sports like running or swimming are pretty inexpensive and give you a great work out. Personally my favorite hobby is tennis, not only does it require psychical fitness but also a vast amount of critical thinking. Strategy is key in this sport.

However any psychical activity not related to your daily job helps not only clear your mind but also stay in good shape. By all means, if I could require each developer that I work with, run 2 miles every other day without hesitation, I would it.

With Starcraft 2 imminent, I can add one item to the hobby list.

Il faut cultiver notre jardin.

I think gardening is pretty nice. Poking around in the garden feels meditative, and nothing is so relaxing to me as sitting in a garden and smelling the flowers.

You get to be creative, and possibly make something that can give you enjoyment for decades.

Maybe I'm just becoming middle aged though. :)

Devenir vieux, c'est quand on ne peut pas fumer les plantes que nous cultivons. Just joking ;-)

Running for fitness and fishing for calm.

you guys obviously need more than a hobby according to Meghan McCain: http://twitter.com/McCainBlogette/status/13756576141

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