This is Paul Graham.
The best protection is always to be working on hard problems.
Writing novels is hard. Reading novels isn't.
Hard means worry: if you're not worrying that
something you're making will come out badly, or that you won't be
able to understand something you're studying, then it isn't hard
enough
Writing novels is hard. Reading novels isn't.
Hard means worry: if you're not worrying that
something you're making will come out badly, or that you won't be
able to understand something you're studying, then it isn't hard
enough
paulgraham.com • What You'll Wish You'd Known
Going
into business is like a hang-glider launch: you'd better do it
wholeheartedly, or not at all.
into business is like a hang-glider launch: you'd better do it
wholeheartedly, or not at all.
Why Smart People Have Bad Ideas
Work on hard problems, driven mainly by curiosity, but have a second self watching over your shoulder, taking note of gaps and anomalies.
paulgraham.com • How to Get Startup Ideas
The way to figure out what to work on is by working. If you're not sure what to work on, guess. But pick something and get going
Paul Graham • How to Do Great Work
What should you do if you're young and ambitious but don't know what to work on? What you should not do is drift along passively, assuming the problem will solve itself. You need to take action. But there is no systematic procedure you can follow. When you read biographies of people who've done great work, it's remarkable how much luck is involved.... See more
Paul Graham • How to Do Great Work
There are some kinds of work that you can't do well without thinking differently from your peers.
paulgraham.com • How to Think for Yourself
The way to get startup ideas is not to try to think of startup ideas. It's to look for problems, preferably problems you have yourself.
paulgraham.com • How to Get Startup Ideas
the most important of the new principles business has to learn is that people work a lot harder on stuff they like
What Business Can Learn from Open Source
18 mistakes that kill startups in simple:
Single Founder: Lacks the skills and support needed.
Bad Location: Being in the wrong place can hinder success.
Marginal Niche: Targeting a market too small to sustain growth.
Derivative Idea: Lacking originality leads to competition.
Obstinacy: Not adapting to feedback or market changes.
Hiring Bad
... See more