They've worked hard for what they have - and I think it's good to give them that credit. But - well, sometimes I think you have to accept where you are and see

They've worked hard for what they have - and I think it's good to give them that credit. But - well, sometimes I think you have to accept where you are and see the strength it holds. When I was a kid, my dad used to tell me a story about a guy he knew in college who always got easy A's, and spent the rest of the time partying. He told me that for a long time he felt envious, but after a while he realized this was just who he was; he had to work for every bit of what he got, work to do well on every test, but that work he put in was part of its meaning to him. In some small way, it meant more to him because he worked so hard for it. Somebody here said [1] that, if you'd been at Facebook for the IPO, you'd spend the rest of your life wondering "what if?" Your friends who are there worked hard for what they've got, I'm sure - but if I were in their position, it'd be very difficult for me not to wonder about it. I'd wonder if I just got lucky, if I just was in the right place at the right time, if it had anything to do with me or if it was just that I happened to join that one company with the hundred billion dollar IPO. You don't have to wonder. You built it with your own hands, and you sweated for what you have. Sure, it would be fantastic to see a windfall like that, and your friends will see lots of benefits from it, but your prize is knowing that every single dollar you make and every great thing you build, you yourself worked to achieve. There's an ancient Greek saying: "Great things are never easy." Even if they don't bring you big payouts, I don't think you have anything to regret if you can look back and know you worked hard to do great things. [1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3974928 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3974928