Ask HN: What is the most important single thing you'd tell a new entrepreneur?

   You are not your startup! 

Beware of bosses, VCs, and project managers who feed your need for external validation. You don't need anyone to tell you you're good.

Basically what I'm saying is hustle, put in the hours, kick ass, but also CHILL. There's no rush to prove anything. Rome wasn't built in a day. Easy does it. There's an old saying that goes "The bitch in haste gives birth to blind pups"[1].

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[1] http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0000...

In my experience (I've bootstrapped some companies, had moderate success, make decent money), good startups and entrepreneurs are born out of simply solving a problem–not from "trying to build a startup". PG and Zuckerberg had this conversation at Startup School in 2012. PG said something to the effect of "I wish more founders were started by the startup" ... that, in my opinion, is the crux of the matter.

It is now popular, cool, and noteworthy to be a startup founder. There are more investors, incubators, and boot camps than ever before. Development costs are at an all-time low. Even here in San Luis, I meet so many Cal Poly kids who are in the entrepreneurship program. I worry they'll go from school-to-startup and never live or work in an environment where they can experience real problems that need solving.

But none of that matters if you're not solving a problem–usually for yourself. When you do, you find other people have the same problem. If you solve it, they will pay you. It's that simple ... but almost everyone has it backwards now. They have their heart set on being a startup founder, so they compromise on the core principle in order to maintain that image. And they build nothing of value–just another to-do list app or useless startup-serving-startups service.

1. Start to develop a work/life balance. No one can tell you how many hours you should be working or what to do on your downtime. This is just the beginning - you CAN prevent burn out.

2. Start to network, find other entrepreneurs and listen to them. One day you will need someone to listen to you. Not all advice is actionable, but it's crucial to get multiple perspectives so you can play it out in your head. Eventually you will have enough plays in your head to tackle most, if not all problems.

3. Get your product or your voice out there. You need some validation of your ideas and thoughts. I tell you this because I wish I did this earlier.

4. Most of the best advice you will ever receive will be the regrets of others.

5. Capital is to an entrepreneur as a job is to an employee. Idea's are worthless if you cannot execute them. Cost to open a business is at an all time low. Low is not free.

6. Don't fail broke. Know when to cut your losses. I have learned that most people don't cut their losses because they are guilty that they have not done enough to give their business the best shot possible. On the flip side, if you are putting your all and you still 100% believe in your product, you need to get that passion and drive in front of investors to buy yourself as much time as possible. These have been the best times of my life, win or lose, never regretted a moment.

7. Don't ever stop yourself from doing whatever it takes to be successful. At my current startup, I am in the field everyday (I am building a marketplace), answering calls and doing physical work that is far below my pay grade. Why? Because at this point of the business I am far better off doing what I am doing now and to grow accordingly. Don't build an illusion of success by having office space, hiring people to do things that you can do yourself at first and creating the impression that things are happening. Let it come naturally.

8. Finally, Learn to build a life without regrets. There is are no hard and fast rules. You will regret shit, fix it immediately. Move on.

Want more elaboration? Jason can explain: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110301/making-money-small-busi...

  "You are your startup"