> Starting a successful startup makes you rich and famous. So a lot of the people trying to start them are doing it for those reasons. Instead of what? Instead

> Starting a successful startup makes you rich and famous. So a lot of the people trying to start them are doing it for those reasons. Instead of what? Instead of interest in the problem for its own sake. That is the root of earnestness. [2] I think he got the definition of "earnest" wrong. It is not about genuine interest. "Earnest" simply means something like "honestly revealing your motivations", no? What if you earnestly want to become rich and famous? What's wrong with that?