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> Lots of travel > This was the year I traveled the most in my life—and looking back, I probably should have traveled even more. I visited customers, helped wi

> Lots of travel > This was the year I traveled the most in my life—and looking back, I probably should have traveled even more. I visited customers, helped with sales, conducted executive interviews, and spoke at a few conferences. It’s hard being away from two little kids, but each trip turned out to be worth it. For me, no. Absolutely not worth it. I traveled during my kids early years and it was a waste of time. That job is long gone, do not even remember most names, it is just a vague memory. My children are here and I missed a too much time to be with them. I count my remaining years in much shorter spans. I do not look back and say, I should have spent more time working and traveling.

duxup 2y ago
Yeah that line struck me as interesting as well. Very "start up / career hype" kinda line there. You can't replace time with your kids, even "quality time" doesn't make up for lacking in quantity. I remember a blog on some start up's website and it described a founder who was in the office on Christmas Day and praising other people who came in on their own time too that day and how they're all working so hard to work on their startup that ... provided some rando non essential service with a web interface. Honestly that particular blog was kinda creepy / sad.
zerkten 2y ago
For me, it's not clear what was most valuable here. I think that's an important thing to take away from a statement on traveling more. I don't think all of the items will have had equal value. Being physically present and checked out is possible. In any case, the other spouse carries more of the burden.
soupfordummies 2y ago
It's sad in America and ESPECIALLY in "startup culture" people base their entire identity and self-worth on their career. Literally even above their own children as seen here. By saying that traveling for work (aka working, aka participating in their career) INSTEAD of spending time with their kids' early years was "worth it" they are saying that it was a worthy tradeoff--that the value of the career actions exceeded the value of formative early time with their own children. And they likely don't even realize that's what they're saying.
- pfannkuchen 2y ago
  Yeah as I’ve gotten into parent age territory I’ve been surprised by how basically all of my peers seem to value making money over spending time with their young children. Like, you have decent money already, you can make money again in 5 years or whatever, I don’t understand the priorities. It feels more like they are sleepwalking vs making conscious value judgements.
sponaugle 2y ago
"I count my remaining years in much shorter spans. I do not look back and say, I should have spent more time working and traveling." I specifically waited to have children until a bit later because of work/startup travel. Time goes in one direction and there is a giant locomotive at the end waiting to smash into you.

duxup 2y ago

Yeah that line struck me as interesting as well. Very "start up / career hype" kinda line there. You can't replace time with your kids, even "quality time" doesn't make up for lacking in quantity. I remember a blog on some start up's website and it described a founder who was in the office on Christmas Day and praising other people who came in on their own time too that day and how they're all working so hard to work on their startup that ... provided some rando non essential service with a web interface. Honestly that particular blog was kinda creepy / sad.

zerkten 2y ago

For me, it's not clear what was most valuable here. I think that's an important thing to take away from a statement on traveling more. I don't think all of the items will have had equal value. Being physically present and checked out is possible. In any case, the other spouse carries more of the burden.

soupfordummies 2y ago

It's sad in America and ESPECIALLY in "startup culture" people base their entire identity and self-worth on their career. Literally even above their own children as seen here. By saying that traveling for work (aka working, aka participating in their career) INSTEAD of spending time with their kids' early years was "worth it" they are saying that it was a worthy tradeoff--that the value of the career actions exceeded the value of formative early time with their own children. And they likely don't even realize that's what they're saying.

pfannkuchen 2y ago
Yeah as I’ve gotten into parent age territory I’ve been surprised by how basically all of my peers seem to value making money over spending time with their young children. Like, you have decent money already, you can make money again in 5 years or whatever, I don’t understand the priorities. It feels more like they are sleepwalking vs making conscious value judgements.

sponaugle 2y ago

"I count my remaining years in much shorter spans. I do not look back and say, I should have spent more time working and traveling." I specifically waited to have children until a bit later because of work/startup travel. Time goes in one direction and there is a giant locomotive at the end waiting to smash into you.