6 ms·

I didn't phrase them that way by accident. "Follow your dreams" is too strong. I wrote about that here: http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.html http://www.paulgraha

by pg 15y ago

I didn't phrase them that way by accident. "Follow your dreams" is too strong. I wrote about that here: http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.html http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.html. "Don't work too much" is phrased that way because it really is a matter of avoiding something.

aantix 15y ago
>Don't work too much Then why advocated startups "as a way to compress your whole working life into a few years." So is this balance only good after you've "made it"? http://paulgraham.com/wealth.html http://paulgraham.com/wealth.html
- pg 15y ago
  The phrase "don't work too much" doesn't mean "don't do a lot of work today." It means don't let work take up your whole life. Starting a startup is the best way to do that, if you're suited to it. Note the word "compress" in the passage you quote.
  - javajosh 15y ago
    This implies that you advocate working very hard for what is essentially an early retirement.
    - loganfrederick 15y ago
      Or at least working very hard on one thing so you can spend your time doing whatever else you care about, which may be "working" on other passion projects.
    - pg 15y ago
      Sort of. More like working very hard till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. You don't have to stop working; you just never have to work on anyone else's terms.
      - neilk 15y ago
        Would you agree that adjusting expectations might also be a way to get there, at least partially? "Financial independence" isn't just a measure of wealth, it's also a measure of one's own personal burn rate.
      - uiri 15y ago
        I think that financial independence is the definition of retirement. It is only seen as a mismatch (and early if before the age of 60 or so) because the conventional path to financial independence is working for 50 years. Someone who has spent 50 years working and is now financially independent will not want to do any more work ever again. Someone who is financially independent at the age of 26 or 30 though will probably keep working. This doesn't mean that the latter person isn't retired; an unconventional path to retirement leads to an unconventional retirement.
      - ErrantX 15y ago
        For the majority of people this is unobtainable. Which is where your theory breaks down, I think. Because if a huge proportion of people adopt this attitude and strive for independence, most will fail and be ultimately unhappier for it. Which sounds like I am recommending resigning oneself to never achieving. But really what I am saying is this; figure out realistic goals, add a little bit, then head toward them. Also, enjoy yourself on the way. Most successful people to my observation fall into two camps; ridiculously talented and "lucky". The former have realistic high level goals anyway. And the latter are, by definition, random.
        deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
        pg 15y ago
        Believe me, no one knows better that starting startups is not for everyone. That's why I was careful to qualify the great grandparent with "if you're suited for it."
      - ph0rque 15y ago
        [...] Work very hard till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. This is a very interesting statement. The thing to keep in mind is that working very hard changes you, so that the thing you'll most likely do after achieving financial independence is probably more of the same (very hard work). I'm taking a different approach, perhaps most succinctly advocated by Mr. Money Moustache (http://www.mrmoneymustache.com http://www.mrmoneymustache.com): Become extremely frugal till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. This is done with the same caveat: after achieving financial independence, you'll most likely continue being frugal, which is a very good thing.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- ernestipark 15y ago
  I interpret this more as, don't work to the point where it pushes other priorities out of your life. For me, I'm young and don't have a family, so starting a startup with some friends could be a tough, yet fun learning experience. Maybe for people in different circumstances, it takes over your life to the point that you lose sight of your relationships or faith.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
drgnzoidberg 15y ago
pg, it's a well known fact by researchers on habit creation that goals framed in a positive statement work much better. I liked the essay and came here to make that point, but what do you know somebody had said it already. I'd also rephrase "be happier", as modern research also suggests that striving to be happy does not work for some people. If you look at the writer original #5 statement, it's "I wish I'd let myself be happier" which is not exactly the same... Admittedly it's a bit of nitpicking. Nice essay

by pg 15y ago

aantix 15y ago

>Don't work too much Then why advocated startups "as a way to compress your whole working life into a few years." So is this balance only good after you've "made it"? http://paulgraham.com/wealth.html http://paulgraham.com/wealth.html

pg 15y ago
The phrase "don't work too much" doesn't mean "don't do a lot of work today." It means don't let work take up your whole life. Starting a startup is the best way to do that, if you're suited to it. Note the word "compress" in the passage you quote.
- javajosh 15y ago
  This implies that you advocate working very hard for what is essentially an early retirement.
  - loganfrederick 15y ago
    Or at least working very hard on one thing so you can spend your time doing whatever else you care about, which may be "working" on other passion projects.
  - pg 15y ago
    Sort of. More like working very hard till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. You don't have to stop working; you just never have to work on anyone else's terms.
    - neilk 15y ago
      Would you agree that adjusting expectations might also be a way to get there, at least partially? "Financial independence" isn't just a measure of wealth, it's also a measure of one's own personal burn rate.
    - uiri 15y ago
      I think that financial independence is the definition of retirement. It is only seen as a mismatch (and early if before the age of 60 or so) because the conventional path to financial independence is working for 50 years. Someone who has spent 50 years working and is now financially independent will not want to do any more work ever again. Someone who is financially independent at the age of 26 or 30 though will probably keep working. This doesn't mean that the latter person isn't retired; an unconventional path to retirement leads to an unconventional retirement.
    - ErrantX 15y ago
      For the majority of people this is unobtainable. Which is where your theory breaks down, I think. Because if a huge proportion of people adopt this attitude and strive for independence, most will fail and be ultimately unhappier for it. Which sounds like I am recommending resigning oneself to never achieving. But really what I am saying is this; figure out realistic goals, add a little bit, then head toward them. Also, enjoy yourself on the way. Most successful people to my observation fall into two camps; ridiculously talented and "lucky". The former have realistic high level goals anyway. And the latter are, by definition, random.
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
      - pg 15y ago
        Believe me, no one knows better that starting startups is not for everyone. That's why I was careful to qualify the great grandparent with "if you're suited for it."
    - ph0rque 15y ago
      [...] Work very hard till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. This is a very interesting statement. The thing to keep in mind is that working very hard changes you, so that the thing you'll most likely do after achieving financial independence is probably more of the same (very hard work). I'm taking a different approach, perhaps most succinctly advocated by Mr. Money Moustache (http://www.mrmoneymustache.com http://www.mrmoneymustache.com): Become extremely frugal till you achieve financial independence, after which you can do whatever you want. This is done with the same caveat: after achieving financial independence, you'll most likely continue being frugal, which is a very good thing.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
ernestipark 15y ago
I interpret this more as, don't work to the point where it pushes other priorities out of your life. For me, I'm young and don't have a family, so starting a startup with some friends could be a tough, yet fun learning experience. Maybe for people in different circumstances, it takes over your life to the point that you lose sight of your relationships or faith.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

drgnzoidberg 15y ago

pg, it's a well known fact by researchers on habit creation that goals framed in a positive statement work much better. I liked the essay and came here to make that point, but what do you know somebody had said it already. I'd also rephrase "be happier", as modern research also suggests that striving to be happy does not work for some people. If you look at the writer original #5 statement, it's "I wish I'd let myself be happier" which is not exactly the same... Admittedly it's a bit of nitpicking. Nice essay