3 ms·

(Throaway so I can be more candid) I'm approaching 21 in a few weeks and I've been making 6 figures since 19, I could have articles written about me but I choo

(Throaway so I can be more candid) I'm approaching 21 in a few weeks and I've been making 6 figures since 19, I could have articles written about me but I choose to remain relatively quiet about my "success", millions of people use the things that I produce. My advice to you would be just do it, just do whatever it is you want. It's probably unique to each individual but I personally find that when someone tweets about my products or the things that I have produced it's the greatest feeling in the world, but when someone says "whoa you're 20 and you've done that?!" it's so hollow. Imagine your achievements being talked about because of your age? The internet is not discriminatory towards age, you can be 15 or 90 and achieve great things, why have them trivialized by an uncontrollable personal attribute. As an aside I am also a poor programmer, although I can do everything I need to I am not a "rockstar" like a large portion of HNers would lead you to believe you need to be, but you don't, what matters is that you actually do stuff. Sit down, write code and maybe you'll achieve something great, but if you spend your time lamenting about how it's never going to happen then it never will.

petitmiam 14y ago
Did you aim for the sky right from the beginning? I guess you either had great people around you who told you you could do anything, or you just ignored the ones who said you couldn't.
DontBeTaken 14y ago
Hm, interesting points. In particular, the part about age being hollow. Hm. And also, the poor programmer part. HN does sometimes seem to convey a message that if you aren't a good programmer, your code won't succeed in what you make, if that makes sense. Lamenting isn't good, true. It's just so hard to be motivated sometimes. Also, I like your name. I have an account on HN but my usual passwords aren't working on it. So this name it was.
larrys 14y ago
"I could have articles written about me but I choose to remain relatively quiet about my "success", millions of people use the things that I produce." I'm a bit older so let me give you some advice based on my experience and observation. Use your age and accomplishments to your advantage. If you can get something written about yourself and publicity do it. Don't be bashful. No reason not to toot your own horn. Doesn't matter what jealous people might think. In the end the publicity will help you more than any negative effects or what you think someone thinks (because maybe that is what you think when you read about someone).
betakingthis 14y ago
I always stay away from the comment section on this type of blog post, but your reply has encouraged me to add my own two cents just this time. Also a throwaway. I have a very similar story to you. I'm a little bit younger than you, and I've been very financially successful for a few years from my own ventures. I like to stay entirely out of the tech blogs for privacy reasons, but at least a few HNers know of my companies. With all due respect to those involved, these blog posts are usually just linkbait. The young people I know running the 7 or 8 figure per annum companies like to keep the stories to themselves. Last week, an old business friend of mine raised an 8 figure round for his already highly profitable B2B software business. At his age he can't even legally drink in the US. The tech bloggers would wet themselves with this story, but he has kept it entirely under wraps for a few reasons. The thing about it is - literally one day after he closed the round, he was back to all-day coding sessions. He always says that if you just have focus, you can have anything. And this is truly evidence to support that. Don't worry about what bloggers write or what others are doing. Focus on building something of value, experiment, never quit, and in no time you'll be the one deciding whether or not you want the tech blogs to write about you, not the other way around.
nchuhoai 14y ago
Just on quick thing to note: In order to get the O1 visa, you unfortunately have to brag to be able to show "extraordinary abilities" or "national/international acclaim".

petitmiam 14y ago

Did you aim for the sky right from the beginning? I guess you either had great people around you who told you you could do anything, or you just ignored the ones who said you couldn't.

DontBeTaken 14y ago

Hm, interesting points. In particular, the part about age being hollow. Hm. And also, the poor programmer part. HN does sometimes seem to convey a message that if you aren't a good programmer, your code won't succeed in what you make, if that makes sense. Lamenting isn't good, true. It's just so hard to be motivated sometimes. Also, I like your name. I have an account on HN but my usual passwords aren't working on it. So this name it was.

larrys 14y ago

"I could have articles written about me but I choose to remain relatively quiet about my "success", millions of people use the things that I produce." I'm a bit older so let me give you some advice based on my experience and observation. Use your age and accomplishments to your advantage. If you can get something written about yourself and publicity do it. Don't be bashful. No reason not to toot your own horn. Doesn't matter what jealous people might think. In the end the publicity will help you more than any negative effects or what you think someone thinks (because maybe that is what you think when you read about someone).

betakingthis 14y ago

I always stay away from the comment section on this type of blog post, but your reply has encouraged me to add my own two cents just this time. Also a throwaway. I have a very similar story to you. I'm a little bit younger than you, and I've been very financially successful for a few years from my own ventures. I like to stay entirely out of the tech blogs for privacy reasons, but at least a few HNers know of my companies. With all due respect to those involved, these blog posts are usually just linkbait. The young people I know running the 7 or 8 figure per annum companies like to keep the stories to themselves. Last week, an old business friend of mine raised an 8 figure round for his already highly profitable B2B software business. At his age he can't even legally drink in the US. The tech bloggers would wet themselves with this story, but he has kept it entirely under wraps for a few reasons. The thing about it is - literally one day after he closed the round, he was back to all-day coding sessions. He always says that if you just have focus, you can have anything. And this is truly evidence to support that. Don't worry about what bloggers write or what others are doing. Focus on building something of value, experiment, never quit, and in no time you'll be the one deciding whether or not you want the tech blogs to write about you, not the other way around.

nchuhoai 14y ago

Just on quick thing to note: In order to get the O1 visa, you unfortunately have to brag to be able to show "extraordinary abilities" or "national/international acclaim".