

The Overconfident and Unrealistic Entrepreneur - lsternlicht
http://www.leosternlicht.com/theoverconfidentandoveroptimisticentrepreneur.html

======
timr
I hate these drink-the-Kool-Aid articles.

Doubt is healthy and normal. If you don't have doubts about whatever path
you're on, you're probably not thinking clearly enough. If you truly don't
have _any_ fears about risk, you're missing a critical self-protection
mechanism that comes factory-standard for even the most primitive creatures on
the planet.

In particular, when I encounter people who suggest that I shouldn't have any
doubt about an financial transaction, I hide my wallet and back away slowly.

~~~
lsternlicht
Timr, my point was more about letting go of things that are inhibiting you
from doing what you really want to do. This article is written for individuals
that aren't able to give it their all because they are being influenced by
societal pressures.

~~~
timr
_"There is a reason why you want to run a startup—much of everything else is
the influence of societal pressures."_

The problem is, you conflate reasonable doubts with irrational outside
influences. It's not as if people who want to be entrepreneurs can't _also_
want to get a law degree. Entrepreneurial ambition is not the only kind, and
there are many legitimate reasons that a smart person might want to get a
professional degree, aside from _"society told me to do it"_.

The idea that you need to commit yourself wholly to whatever path you choose
is well-taken, but the notion that you must eliminate all doubt in order to
act decisively is excessive (and impossible).

~~~
lsternlicht
Timr, I fully agree with you. However, what I wrote is not written for
everyone. It was an opinion piece written for myself, and many in the same
situation. I think that due to the ever changing nature of the internet
technology industry, it is very hard for many to justify going after what
their gut tells them. Because it is a lot more tangible to see and understand
what you're working for when you choose to pursue a J.D. program or go into
investment banking, my mind (and others I've spoken with) tends to ask "what
if," during times of doubt. The times when I am most productive are times when
I am working with a team and am really confident. If I could silence those
reservations or "what ifs," I am positive that I would be more productive.

