As a 37 year old, I'd go along with almost all of what eengstrom said, in general. But there is a counter-point... being to cautious and patient can be a risk in it's own right. In my own case, I look back and feel that I waited too long to indulge my "wild hair" and move to a place with more opportunity. Now I'm struggling to deal with a world where a 37 year old is considered "old" to be a startup founder, and worrying about the real possibility of age discrimination as I continue forward in the technology profession.
I'm not recommending going off half-cocked on a whim or anything, but there's something to be said for being aggressive about pursuing things. And unfortunately nobody can really tell you how to judge when a decision is being too aggressive or just silly... judgment is one of those things you really only gain with experience. All I can really tell you is to study hard, consider all the alternatives, solicit as much information as you can from various sources, and then make the best decision you can. In the end, whether you succeed or not isn't going to come down to any one decision in isolation anyway (well, 99% of the time anyway. A decision to start imbibing crack cocaine is pretty much a one way ticket to failure, but I hope you get my drift.)
save your money
Definitely this. Building a safety-net / nest-egg will both allow you the confidence to make some risky decisions at times, and may just save your ass one day if one of those decisions fails to pay off.
But there is a counter-point... being to cautious and patient can be a risk in it's own right. In my own case, I look back and feel that I waited too long to indulge my "wild hair" and move to a place with more opportunity.
I would emphasis this as well - I don't think you will get to your death bed some day, and think - "golly, I sure am glad I didn't take any risks. I sure am glad I never did anything stupid."
Sometimes, the real risk is caving to fear.
Another note - never underestimate the value of persistence, and effort. One of my favorite quotes is from Coolidge:
Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
I would disagree with this safe-net concept. In general, a young guy has almost nothing to lose and everything to gain. Secondly, if he gives himself a reason to fail.. he is allowing himself to fail.
With that said, I'd say, figure out a half decent plan. Execute it. Fail.. Learn. Execute better. Repeat. It doesn't matter how much you fail but don't take on too much debt.. just work more.
Hah! Me? Too cautious? I would never have listened to my own advice, but then I had a job in hand and money saved, which seems an entirely different scenario than the OP.
How, also are you too old? Go to your pitch meetings like I plan to: I will be surrounded by octogenarians in overalls and Victorian wimples! Social camouflage!
Hah! Me? Too cautious? I would never have listened to my own advice, but then I had a job in hand and money saved, which seems an entirely different scenario than the OP.
:-)
How, also are you too old? Go to your pitch meetings like I plan to: I will be surrounded by octogenarians in overalls and Victorian wimples! Social camouflage!
Oh don't get me wrong... I don't think (or at least acknowledge) being too old, but I am cognizant that there is a certain sort of bias towards youngsters in this field. I'm still thrashing away like mad on my project, and I'll be pitching it as aggressively as I possibly can (or harder) when the time comes. If anything, in my case, age is just making me hungrier exactly because I have that "I haven't done anything yet" feeling.
I'm not recommending going off half-cocked on a whim or anything, but there's something to be said for being aggressive about pursuing things. And unfortunately nobody can really tell you how to judge when a decision is being too aggressive or just silly... judgment is one of those things you really only gain with experience. All I can really tell you is to study hard, consider all the alternatives, solicit as much information as you can from various sources, and then make the best decision you can. In the end, whether you succeed or not isn't going to come down to any one decision in isolation anyway (well, 99% of the time anyway. A decision to start imbibing crack cocaine is pretty much a one way ticket to failure, but I hope you get my drift.)
save your money
Definitely this. Building a safety-net / nest-egg will both allow you the confidence to make some risky decisions at times, and may just save your ass one day if one of those decisions fails to pay off.