

For Heaven’s Sake, Finish It Off In Your 20′s - npguy
http://statspotting.com/for-heavens-sake-take-that-risk-when-you-are-in-your-20s/

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nostrademons
So, counterpoint: I'd argue that it's much more important to spend some of
that time in your 20s putting in the effort _learning_ how to stay hungry and
stay foolish. Then you have the whole rest of your life to accomplish great
things.

I'm 31. I'm working on a project with a low chance of success, but it will
change the world if it does succeed. (Granted, it's done as part of a large
organization, but I also haven't ruled out startups if the large organization
ceases to be a good place to innovate, and now I have the financial
wherewithal to do so.) The main difference now vs. when I founded a startup at
26 is that now I _know_ the chance of success is low, but I don't _care_.
Because I've learned that just because I don't see a solution immediately
doesn't mean that one doesn't exist. And that this is what I want to do, my
basic needs are taken care of, and so it really doesn't matter if it doesn't
work, I'll be happier having tried. And that other things that would otherwise
be distractions are only distractions to the extent that I let them be so - my
friends will be there when I want to invite them out, my bills are on auto-
pay, and I have the right to say "no" to other projects at work.

Your 20s are a time when you outgrow most of your insecurities and learn who
you are and what you really care about. If accomplishing great things or
founding a startup or just plain innovating is one of them, then you can do
that for the rest of your life. If you're just doing it because the Internet
says you should, then you won't be any happier having finished it off in your
20s than if you spent that time learning about yourself.

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npguy
Excellent points. But what are your views on the ambition getting a reality
flavor part? You hear that from many gurus, that when you are young, you just
don't know what is not possible?

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nostrademons
That's a positive, as long as you don't confuse "reality" with "fear".

If you're more able to assess risk and determine whether your idea has a
chance of working without actually having to build it, that can only help you.
The problem is that many people swing from one extreme ("It's guaranteed to
work! I'm gonna be a millionaire!") to the other ("It'll never work! I better
keep my day job.") If you can understand shades of gray and make calculated
risks, it only gets better with experience.

