4 ms·

Interesting that you would phrase it that way. I was reading this thread and came back to it a few hours later so I saw the 1st follow-up, but not yours. I wou

Interesting that you would phrase it that way. I was reading this thread and came back to it a few hours later so I saw the 1st follow-up, but not yours. I would say that I'm in a similar boat right now, though I sometimes feel guilty for not chasing the startup. My wife, also a doctor, makes a ton of money. I make quite a bit of money. I like what I do, but it isn't all that fulfilling. However, we have a great family life with our two kids, 4 and 1. I don't think I could trade the family life for the dream of chasing a start-up right now. I've worked in several start-ups and know what it can take and I don't believe I would be willing to do that at this point in my life. Maybe in 10 years, definitely in 20. That being said, I can understand what the other person said about being considered "non-ambitious". Think of it this way, some people (myself included) probably don't measure themselves by normal standards. I measure myself by the Gates' of the world. I've always done that. When I was playing sports, I didn't measure myself against the average or below average players and think "hey, I'm in the top 10% of this division/league/whatever", I would say "there are 10 people better than me and that cannot do". When I walk into the weight room or step onto the basketball court, I want to be considered the best. Not "one of the best", but "the best". So, sometimes when a person like this mentally says they aren't going to go after something but still see others doing it, it it is hard on them in a variety of ways. Honestly, I can say that I feel like I'm going through a mini-midlife crisis realizing that I may well be 40 before I do my next start-up of my own and that is hard to take....even if I KNOW I'm making the best decision for my family, which is more important to me (meaning, I want a healthy marriage, well adjusted, well rounded kids more than I want the gulf stream jet). So, all I'm trying to say is that the people on this board might well be the 1% or the top in their field, but they might also be the ones that only see the people that are better than them or have achieved more and by measuring against those people, they feel "non-ambitious/non-high-achieving".

carguy1983 15y ago
I'm a big fan of keeping a firm, dry grip on reality while chasing after my entrepreneurial dreams. I'm an entrepreneur with a business that is profitable, and with quite large ambitions, and all of that - I know EXACTLY how difficult it is and how lucky and persistent one has to be to make lots money or have a big exit, and I'm not there yet. Probably won't be for a while. I know that, because I live it every day I go in. I think a lot of people (wantrapreneurs, basically) have this attitude where they think just because they compare themselves to ultra-high-achievers (the famous ones, basically), they think they're part of some exclusive club that has "high standards" or something. Quite frankly that's bullshit, you either have achieved or you haven't, in my opinion the line of thinking that results in the conclusion that a successful doctor in the most expensive area of the richest state in the richest country in the world is to be looked down on, is just rampantly stupid.
- fingerprinter 15y ago
  TBH, I don't know what your point is in the above. I think most people in the scenario would know they have achieved something by the world's standards, but might not have by their own. They are not incongruous thoughts. I would agree that someone else thinking a doctor is an underachiever would be wrong, but I wouldn't say so if the doctor themselves said that. So, for me, it is more about realizing that I would like to achieve that, but not at the sacrifice it would take to my family at this moment in time. So, well done for realizing that it takes quite a bit of hard work with equal amounts of luck. Good luck doing it and, if you get there, you will have earned it.

carguy1983 15y ago

I'm a big fan of keeping a firm, dry grip on reality while chasing after my entrepreneurial dreams. I'm an entrepreneur with a business that is profitable, and with quite large ambitions, and all of that - I know EXACTLY how difficult it is and how lucky and persistent one has to be to make lots money or have a big exit, and I'm not there yet. Probably won't be for a while. I know that, because I live it every day I go in. I think a lot of people (wantrapreneurs, basically) have this attitude where they think just because they compare themselves to ultra-high-achievers (the famous ones, basically), they think they're part of some exclusive club that has "high standards" or something. Quite frankly that's bullshit, you either have achieved or you haven't, in my opinion the line of thinking that results in the conclusion that a successful doctor in the most expensive area of the richest state in the richest country in the world is to be looked down on, is just rampantly stupid.

fingerprinter 15y ago
TBH, I don't know what your point is in the above. I think most people in the scenario would know they have achieved something by the world's standards, but might not have by their own. They are not incongruous thoughts. I would agree that someone else thinking a doctor is an underachiever would be wrong, but I wouldn't say so if the doctor themselves said that. So, for me, it is more about realizing that I would like to achieve that, but not at the sacrifice it would take to my family at this moment in time. So, well done for realizing that it takes quite a bit of hard work with equal amounts of luck. Good luck doing it and, if you get there, you will have earned it.