Hacker News Reader

Comment by luckystrike | Hacker News Reader

  But if I were to do another startup, I'd be stuck with it for the next 4-10 years, 
  it'd have to be profitable within about 2 to avoid running out of money,

<SNIP>

  I might be able to pull it off and get rich, 
  but it'd eat up all of my twenties, probably all my friends, 
  and possibly all my sanity. Not worth it.

This is one of the things that i ponder upon as well.

A lot of people would say (and correctly so) it becomes more difficult later on to start your own venture, but at this point (I'm 27) i just can't convince myself to work like crazy for the next 2-3 years and possibly spend the prime of my life in front of the screen.

I guess it's just a question what you want from life at that point in time. (Great work/money/time for other interests/good social life). Obviously all of it together would be nice :-), but till then got to be selective.

View on HN

When you grow older you'll realise that the prime of your life isn't necessarily your twenties. I'm in my thirties and have so much more wisdom, better friends, and am more at peace with who I am. I have friends that are in their 60's and they have even more wisdom, friends and peace than I do. Your prime isn't your 20's but it's hard to see before you grow older.

At least that's my experience.

I didn't start my first business until my early 30s and found the mix of energy and experience just perfect (much easier, in my case, than it likely would have been in my 20s). Try to avoid the "wasting the prime of my life" argument -- one way or another, that time is going to pass.

If you want to start a business and are ready for it, start it. If you'd rather do something else, do that instead.

You're not wasting time if you genuinely enjoy how it is being spent.

I'm actually really glad I did try it in my mid-20s. Got the first failure out of the way; now if I want to come back to it, I've got that much more experience.

I just don't want to spend all my 20s tilting at windmills.

I'm also heartened by some of the stories in Founders at Work about founders that tried entrepreneurship when they were young, failed at it, then came back to it when they had some more work experience and a better idea and succeeded. TripAdvisor comes to mind.

I'm also twenty-seven, and there's nothing I'd rather do than have a go with getting my own business running. And the thing is, that doesn't mean spending all of your life in front of a monitor. Spending time out in the real world, talking with other people, is a vital activity for anybody starting a company.

It's also a great way to make friends with similar interests, which leads itself to all kinds of fun.

Too many people spend a frankly stupid amount of time worrying about wasting their youth, or make up for it by spending their twenties in a drunken stupor.

Think about it. Would you rather hit thirty, and have built a few things that you can be really proud of, and take a shot at making some real dosh, or just look back on a bunch of parties?

I would prefer to hit thirty having done car rallies in Himalayas, knowing how to fly a plane, and building up some decent software as well. A bunch of 'memorable' parties would be an added bonus. :-) (And i think i should re-read my comments before posting if they give the impression that the author wrote them in a drunker stupor.)

Well i do not believe in the theory of one size fits all. If running a business works well for you at this point of time, it's great and wish you success in it. I guess i need some more convincing before i finally take the plunge. (Yeah i know there is never a right time)

tom_rath put it across very well in his comment above: "You're not wasting time if you genuinely enjoy how it is being spent."

I think we're on the same page; I don't want my epitaph to read, "Well, he sure worked a hell of a lot." So, I mis-interpreted your post... by quite a bit. :)

So what exactly are we supposed to be doing with the "prime of our lives"? I've been in front of the screen since 7 years old :)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com