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I don't know man, I'm not a fan of inspiration by once-in-a-generation leaders. Not everyone's a Roosevelt waiting to emerge, and that's ok. I feel that HN tr

by kzhahou 12y ago

I don't know man, I'm not a fan of inspiration by once-in-a-generation leaders. Not everyone's a Roosevelt waiting to emerge, and that's ok. I feel that HN tries to be very supportive, but inadvertently sets expectations too high, and then we see the depressed founders who keep banging their heads against a wall. Kudos to the team for trying and to the author for writing it up.

nosuchthing 12y ago
Is it okay to say cynicism kills? No one is claiming everyone can do anything they want. Kudos to anyone who exerts effort in their great attempts and ambitions, rather than sit off to the side and make nonconstructive remarks about the failures of others.
- kzhahou 12y ago
  I edited to clarify my position, which is not based on cynicism but rather concern for the mental well-being of the community.
NhanH 12y ago
The thing is, we see the depressed head-bangers because head-bangers are visible. We do not know if there are people depressed because they never try, or they gave up.
willholloway 12y ago
You are right, there is a dark side to entrepreneurial ambition and Pollyanna should be tarred and feathered. You see it in the father that sinks hundreds of thousands into a franchise and loses the family house or the founder banging their head against the wall. That's where ambition crosses over into obsession, or addiction. Fail fast is a good motto. We all can't and don't want to achieve greatness, but striving for something is one of the best tools we have for dealing with the predicament of being a human on a still primitive earth. The thing that impressed me most about TR was that he became a once-in-a-generation leader through sheer force of will, a demand to have fun, to be free, a desire to experience new and dangerous things, and a righteous absence of fear of death. All this despite treacherous fate cursing him to be a sickly child, with severe asthma at a time when there were no good medicines for it. His brother was the heir apparent, but TR had a lust for life, he wanted it more. I want to want it more.

by kzhahou 12y ago

nosuchthing 12y ago

Is it okay to say cynicism kills? No one is claiming everyone can do anything they want. Kudos to anyone who exerts effort in their great attempts and ambitions, rather than sit off to the side and make nonconstructive remarks about the failures of others.

kzhahou 12y ago
I edited to clarify my position, which is not based on cynicism but rather concern for the mental well-being of the community.

NhanH 12y ago

The thing is, we see the depressed head-bangers because head-bangers are visible. We do not know if there are people depressed because they never try, or they gave up.

willholloway 12y ago

You are right, there is a dark side to entrepreneurial ambition and Pollyanna should be tarred and feathered. You see it in the father that sinks hundreds of thousands into a franchise and loses the family house or the founder banging their head against the wall. That's where ambition crosses over into obsession, or addiction. Fail fast is a good motto. We all can't and don't want to achieve greatness, but striving for something is one of the best tools we have for dealing with the predicament of being a human on a still primitive earth. The thing that impressed me most about TR was that he became a once-in-a-generation leader through sheer force of will, a demand to have fun, to be free, a desire to experience new and dangerous things, and a righteous absence of fear of death. All this despite treacherous fate cursing him to be a sickly child, with severe asthma at a time when there were no good medicines for it. His brother was the heir apparent, but TR had a lust for life, he wanted it more. I want to want it more.