I think a lot of very accurate reasons have been covered by others. These are my key points: * COL in most areas has skyrocketed, housing and healthcare have b

I think a lot of very accurate reasons have been covered by others. These are my key points: * COL in most areas has skyrocketed, housing and healthcare have both ballooned in cost massively. This has meant I'm much less likely to take risks that would put either of these at risk. * My ideas aren't unique. I'm 99.9995% sure that the ideas I have floating around in my head for a startup are already covered by someone much more capable than I to execute them. Given that the main reason startups fail is a lack of market, and I'm definitely not the sort of person that can just make a market appear overnight... Yeah definitely not feeling like taking a risk on something likely either already served or which needs someone who can communicate to prospective customers why such a market should exist. * I'm not interested in cashing out. My goal if I'm growing a business is to have something I enjoy and cherish. Not just to sell and cash out. (I say this now naively ) TLDR: The risk reward ratio in my estimation only favors the ultra wealthy, or unicorn engineers right now. I'm smart but I'm not that smart. My goal right now is to get enough money I can retire and work on projects I want to. If that means one of them becomes a startup, I'm good with that. But, I'm also not expecting to IPO or get VC backing if that happens.