I am old. I have had two companies and about half my adult life self-employed. I have never gotten rich. I had fun for part of the time in each company or situa

I am old. I have had two companies and about half my adult life self-employed. I have never gotten rich. I had fun for part of the time in each company or situation. Less fun for the rest. Here is my advice: Don't every do anything that is not fun. Don't ever do anything you cannot afford to do. This means do not waste your very, very short life on ambition for its own sake. Only start a company if it is fun to be doing it. Don't gamble your economic future. You have to pay for things. Failing to save for your old age is as irresponsible as not saving money for your kid's education or making your spouse pay all the bills. When I recognized that my fantasy of self-employment and riches was never going to be real, I got a job. It felt like a vacation. Someone else figured out what to do. I just solved the problem. Direct payroll deposit is like magic. You wake up one day and your bank account is full again. Putting money in savings is like an orgasm. You can do it again and again and it always feels good. Americans have this insane idea that work and business are so so so important. Like this kid, I have been through it. Unlike him, for decades. I am telling you: Capitalism is very often toxic. Don't do it unless you are doing something fun and can afford the price while meeting your other responsibilities. Don't do it at the cost of your real life, friends, spouse, kids, hobbies, books. You only live once. Business is absolutely not the right priority. Nobody old wishes they had worked more.