5 ms·

Attn: Startup Founders, You Need a Hobby

27 points by Cmccann7 16y ago

charlesju 16y ago
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.
- Cmccann7 16y ago
  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.
  - mikeleeorg 16y ago
    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-From-Paul-English-Co-Founder-of-Kayak.aspx 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.
    - cloudwalking 16y ago
      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_power_of_time_off.html http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_pow...
- CoachRufus87 16y ago
  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
drenei 16y ago
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.
failquicker 16y ago
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.
- mceachen 16y ago
  +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.
  - failquicker 16y ago
    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!
  - danielh 16y ago
    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 :)
Mongoose 16y ago
With Starcraft 2 imminent, I can add one item to the hobby list.
wjr 16y ago
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.
char 16y ago
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.
- ido 16y ago
  I like how among those he has stuff like "make fire" :)
- baguasquirrel 16y ago
  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
- metachris 16y ago
  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.
  - Cmccann7 16y ago
    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 :)
tomwans 16y ago
you guys obviously need more than a hobby according to Meghan McCain: http://twitter.com/McCainBlogette/status/13756576141 http://twitter.com/McCainBlogette/status/13756576141
0nly1ife 16y ago
Running for fitness and fishing for calm.
jaytee_clone 16y ago
Hobbies are great. Crafts are even better. (i.e. things that you can get better at indefinitely like playing an instrument)
wgren 16y ago
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. :)
- mrvir 16y ago
  Devenir vieux, c'est quand on ne peut pas fumer les plantes que nous cultivons. Just joking ;-)
avk 16y ago
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.
- potatolicious 16y ago
  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.

27 points by Cmccann7 16y ago

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.

Cmccann7 16y ago
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.
- mikeleeorg 16y ago
  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-From-Paul-English-Co-Founder-of-Kayak.aspx 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.
  - cloudwalking 16y ago
    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_power_of_time_off.html http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_pow...
CoachRufus87 16y ago
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

drenei 16y ago

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.

failquicker 16y ago

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.

mceachen 16y ago
+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.
- failquicker 16y ago
  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!
- danielh 16y ago
  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 :)

Mongoose 16y ago

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

wjr 16y ago

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.

char 16y ago

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.

ido 16y ago
I like how among those he has stuff like "make fire" :)
baguasquirrel 16y ago
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
metachris 16y ago
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.
- Cmccann7 16y ago
  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 :)

tomwans 16y ago

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

0nly1ife 16y ago

Running for fitness and fishing for calm.

jaytee_clone 16y ago

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

wgren 16y ago

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. :)

mrvir 16y ago
Devenir vieux, c'est quand on ne peut pas fumer les plantes que nous cultivons. Just joking ;-)

avk 16y ago

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.

potatolicious 16y ago
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.