Ask PG: Threshold of intelligence | Hacker News Reader

Ask PG: Threshold of intelligence

9 pointsmion14 comments

In What We Look for in Founders, pg says that "as long as you're over a certain threshold of intelligence, what matters most is determination".

I'm almost sure (because of what I've endured in my life) that I'm determined enough to found a startup. However, even though I'm somewhat smart (as an undergrad I have way above average GPA and some nice accomplishments) I often wonder if I'm above said threshold.

Perhaps one way to find out is through your accomplishments. Still, the question "about the most impressive thing other than this startup that each founder has built or achieved" in the YC application form scares the hell out of me, when I think about what other people might have already accomplished at my age.

Should I wait until I'm better prepared before trying to start a startup? Or should I just do it now? I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing. I can't help but to be overwhelmed by all the great things some people have done, and how smart they must be.

Therefore I ask pg: How do I know if I'm above that threshold of intelligence?

about the most impressive thing other than this startup that each founder has built or achieved

Funny thing, that. I was thinking about this topic recently, as I don't feel like I've exactly "accomplished" anything worth talking about up to this point in my life (and I'm 39). But, that doesn't bother me because, the way I see it, everything I've done in my (adult) life up to this point has been taking steps along the path to this startup that I'm working on now. Or, to put it a different way, I've actually been building Fogbeam Labs since I was 19 or so, even though it's only existed as a legal entity for 2 years or so.

I'd love to hear some YC applicants chime in and share their personal "what's the most impressive thing you've done" stories. If I had to pick one for myself, I'd probably go with one of these:

1. I was formerly Fire Chief of a volunteer fire department, and one of the youngest people to hold that position in my area.

2. I was one the youngest, if not the youngest, Firefighting Instructors certified by the NC State Fire & Rescue Commission.

3. I ran for Lieutenant Governor of NC, appeared in a statewide televised debate with the other two candidates and got about 125,000 votes (roughly 3%).

What I can't claim is to have achieved anything specific in terms of building a previous startup or having any particular financial return, blah, blah.

I guess I'm not the only one suffering from self-doubt. I think this is hard to notice since since people don't talk about it that much.

If you ask me, I'd say you have some pretty impressive accomplishments!

You're over it.

Curious if you determined that solely based on his post or you know more about OP ?

Solely based on my post, I guess. I did apply to YC once with a stupid idea.

>...as an undergrad I have way above average GPA

You're mastering undergraduate material, which certainly doesn't give any clues as to if you are genius, but it does say you can probably build whatever you want given enough time and effort. What else does he need to know?

Perhaps I'm being too cynical, but if PG's business model is cherry-picking busniess ideas from a firehose of potential startups, telling random strangers on the internet, "yes, you're smart enough to apply with a business idea for me to accept or reject", seems simply good business.

The cost of rejecting yet another poorly conceived business plan by a marginal candidate is less than the potential loss of billions if the guy who comes up with THE NEXT BIG THING is too shy to apply to YC.

To answer the main question, you don't need to know more than what the OP posted.

The poster show's self-doubt, self-awareness, the ability to self evaluate and the ability to learn as indicated by his undergrad.

So definitely the intelligence is there. Considering the poster is most likely in their early twenties, regardless of the idea, the best thing going for the person is their runway. They have the time to fail a couple of times before other life goals come into play.

And frankly, there isn't too much correlation between business success and high intelligence. Anecdotally, it can be argued that there is an inverse relationship.

Ok I'm taking your word. Amazing how a just few words can be so comforting.

I think that's pretty obvious.

I wish determination was as easily spotted as the intelligence treshold.

I wouldn't say it's obvious. A lot of people have self-doubt. I for one don't know if I would be able to build something like Dropbox, for instance. But I guess the key here is to try anyway and learn along the process. Paul Buchheit said he wasn't qualified to build Gmail when they asked him to.

I’m in the middle of the most ridiculous stunt I’ve ever attempted in my life, and while I can’t talk about it I can say this:

> the key here is to try anyway and learn along the process.

This is exactly right. Keep pulling on the string and see where it takes you; if you’re as determined as you say you are, that determination will be more than enough to compensate for whatever intelligence you think you don’t have.

If you're doing anything novel, almost by definition you can't be "qualified" to do it.

a bad ass reply.

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