1,425 karma · joined September 25, 2009
YC S2016 - Proxy.com - web3 identity wallet. YC W2011 - Meetings.io - acquired by Jive 2012 YC W2010 - Embedster.com - downed by YouTube 2011
YC Badge: 0xc61e1fbb914136344a94e89f76d8c327834cfc9c
Yes, it sucks not getting into YC. I know, I didn't get in the first time I applied, it felt shitty for a day, but then I just went on with building my startup regardless. I applied again the following year and this time we did get in. I didn't give up or think about our chances once.
Determination is not something you say, it's something you do, especially when the odds are stacked up against you. So if you are determined, apply for YC, don't over think it, then keep moving forward with your world domination plans.
More here: http://imars.posthaven.com/so-you-didnt-get-into-yc-now-what
If you don't have the fire in your belly to overcome challenges, then chances are you probably won't be very good at building a successful company.
"soul crushing", "lottery" are words that people who easily give up use. Where's the fire, where's the ambition?
That's one of the most important things I'm looking for in the founding team when I read applications. I want to see determination, fire in the soul, and an ambition to go out there and make amazing things happen.
A great founding team can take a shitty idea and still make a success out of it, a shitty team can take a great idea and make nothing out of it.
Average people, that do average things, generally think in terms of the odds "what's my chance of this, or that.." when deciding about things.
Extraordinary people don't care about their chances, they do things because they are determined or obsessed about whatever it is they are doing, and stop at nothing to make it happen. These are the types of people that go on to build great companies and are the types of people YC generally looks for in the applications.
So if you're the type of person that doesn't care about the stats: you should definitely apply!
I share this same view with founders of current YC startups http://imars.posthaven.com/so-you-got-into-yc-now-what
this problem was solved for most of the other Linux + Chrome users by making the above selection
Also if that doesn't work try disabling the built-in Flash in Chrome and enabling the installed version using chrome://plugins
other than that, yes, give me your thinkpad and ill fix it :)