For things in the realm of an idealized problem solving domain, say mathematics or chess, you can learn a lot from a proverb. But many insights in life can't be

For things in the realm of an idealized problem solving domain, say mathematics or chess, you can learn a lot from a proverb. But many insights in life can't be reduced to writing, especially those involving either self-mastery or other people (and startups, alas, involve both). If you read the history of an event how does that compare to living through it? Can you learn to ride a bike from a book? The challenge with a startup--like many other things in life--is that you need to integrate many different inputs, your own hopes and fears among them, and negotiate a working consensus with your co-founders.