

Ask PG: Threshold of intelligence - mion

In <i>What We Look for in Founders</i>, pg says that "as long as you're over a certain threshold of intelligence, what matters most is determination".<p>I'm almost sure (because of what I've endured in my life) that I'm determined enough to found a startup. However, even though I'm somewhat smart (as an undergrad I have way above average GPA and some nice accomplishments) I often wonder if I'm above said threshold.<p>Perhaps one way to find out is through your accomplishments. Still, the question "about the most impressive thing other than this startup that each founder has built or achieved" in the YC application form scares the hell out of me, when I think about what other people might have already accomplished at my age.<p>Should I wait until I'm better prepared before trying to start a startup? Or should I just do it now? <i>I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.</i> I can't help but to be overwhelmed by all the great things some people have done, and how smart they must be.<p>Therefore I ask pg: How do I know if I'm above that threshold of intelligence?
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mindcrime
_about the most impressive thing other than this startup that each founder has
built or achieved_

Funny thing, that. I was thinking about this topic recently, as I don't feel
like I've exactly "accomplished" anything worth talking about up to this point
in my life (and I'm 39). But, that doesn't bother me because, the way I see
it, _everything_ I've done in my (adult) life up to this point has been taking
steps along the path to this startup that I'm working on now. Or, to put it a
different way, I've actually been building Fogbeam Labs since I was 19 or so,
even though it's only existed as a legal entity for 2 years or so.

I'd love to hear some YC applicants chime in and share their personal "what's
the most impressive thing you've done" stories. If I had to pick one for
myself, I'd probably go with one of these:

1\. I was formerly Fire Chief of a volunteer fire department, and one of the
youngest people to hold that position in my area.

2\. I was one the youngest, if not _the_ youngest, Firefighting Instructors
certified by the NC State Fire & Rescue Commission.

3\. I ran for Lieutenant Governor of NC, appeared in a statewide televised
debate with the other two candidates and got about 125,000 votes (roughly 3%).

What I can't claim is to have achieved anything specific in terms of building
a previous startup or having any particular financial return, blah, blah.

~~~
mion
I guess I'm not the only one suffering from self-doubt. I think this is hard
to notice since since people don't talk about it that much.

If you ask me, I'd say you have some pretty impressive accomplishments!

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pg
You're over it.

~~~
codegeek
Curious if you determined that solely based on his post or you know more about
OP ?

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tempaccount9473
Perhaps I'm being too cynical, but if PG's business model is cherry-picking
busniess ideas from a firehose of potential startups, telling random strangers
on the internet, "yes, you're smart enough to apply with a business idea for
me to accept or reject", seems simply good business.

The cost of rejecting yet another poorly conceived business plan by a marginal
candidate is less than the potential loss of billions if the guy who comes up
with THE NEXT BIG THING is too shy to apply to YC.

~~~
avenger123
To answer the main question, you don't need to know more than what the OP
posted.

The poster show's self-doubt, self-awareness, the ability to self evaluate and
the ability to learn as indicated by his undergrad.

So definitely the intelligence is there. Considering the poster is most likely
in their early twenties, regardless of the idea, the best thing going for the
person is their runway. They have the time to fail a couple of times before
other life goals come into play.

And frankly, there isn't too much correlation between business success and
high intelligence. Anecdotally, it can be argued that there is an inverse
relationship.

