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I wonder where this puts founders. We sacrifice a lot of time and money (missed vacations, family time as well as salaries) in the attempt to create something w

I wonder where this puts founders. We sacrifice a lot of time and money (missed vacations, family time as well as salaries) in the attempt to create something we can call our own. I always debate if it worth it, but there just this excitement associated with the unknown potential of what you are doing that keeps me going...and happy. Sometimes though I do wish I could take that family vacation, or purchase my own apartment.

zawaideh 11y ago
Take that vacation. Nothing bad will happen, and you will give your mind a chance to process things. My best ideas came right after vacations.
camelNotation 11y ago
Reality: You're going to die. Good Idea: Take a vacation. Enjoy life.
- bcook 11y ago
  What about the afterlife? Many believe the temporary sacrifices they make while on Earth will benefit them for eternity in the afterlife. Whatever makes you happy. :)
  - camelNotation 11y ago
    I believe in the afterlife and for that reason, I don't take my own advice. I do what is virtuous, not what is always enjoyable. However, for someone like the OP, it sounds like they don't care too much for philosophy or religion since they're pulling their recommendations from scientific studies, so I offered them something that might help with their general psychological health. Hopefully one day they'll seek something deeper and not ask existential questions to computer nerds.
dudul 11y ago
A founder who doesn't take vacations or spend time with their family will most likely go crazy and fail.
- danieltillett 11y ago
  I am someone who really doesn’t like vacations. I don’t like travel, I don’t like hotels, and I don’t like eating in restaurants all the time. What I do like is living for an extended period of time in a new location where I can really get a feel for the place (months not days). I go years without a vacation then move somewhere for 6 months or longer.
  - TranquilMarmot 11y ago
    How do you decide where to move next? Do you follow work? Or do you work remotely? I would love to do this but find moving to be incredibly stressful, and moving every six months I would feel like I don't have a real "home".
    - welly 11y ago
      I've lead a similar life to the OP so can probably answer this one. In the last 10 years, I've lived and worked Switzerland for 6 months, in the south of France for 9 months (contracting), in Scotland for a year, Canada for 10 months, New Zealand for 2 years, Australia on several occasions for a year or so at a time. I'm currently back in Australia now. In between those, I've lived back in the England, my home country. I've both been following work and picking places to live. I've done a little bit of remote work while I've been overseas but mainly working for various companies who have sponsored me for a visa to work. You're right in that moving is stressful but more than stressful, it's a real pain. As I've tended to live somewhere for longer than 6 months, I've lived in a place long enough to get settled to some degree and as a result, acquired "stuff" - living stuff such as small items of furniture, quilts, pillows, kitchen utensils, some consumer electronics (I've got an iMac and a laptop now) and so on. Stuff you need if you're not living out of a hotel for 6 months. That has been the biggest cause of stress and pain. If you can do without stuff, and I'd suggest if you live somewhere longer than 6 months you probably can't and unintentionally you'll start acquiring it anyway, then it would be far easier. If you can live out of a suitcase and laptop bag for 6 - 12 months, then seeing the world is a much easier prospect. I've never intentionally moved to new places, it's just how things have worked out but this time is the last time! And I've said that before but this time I mean it! (And I've said that before too). I would certainly recommend travel and working overseas - the experiences you get on both a personal and work level are invaluable. Do I feel like I have a home when I've moved to a new place? I would say I do but an outsider might suggest otherwise when they look at my living spaces that have a tendency to look unpacked! But this time.. this time, I'm staying.

zawaideh 11y ago

Take that vacation. Nothing bad will happen, and you will give your mind a chance to process things. My best ideas came right after vacations.

camelNotation 11y ago

Reality: You're going to die. Good Idea: Take a vacation. Enjoy life.

bcook 11y ago
What about the afterlife? Many believe the temporary sacrifices they make while on Earth will benefit them for eternity in the afterlife. Whatever makes you happy. :)
- camelNotation 11y ago
  I believe in the afterlife and for that reason, I don't take my own advice. I do what is virtuous, not what is always enjoyable. However, for someone like the OP, it sounds like they don't care too much for philosophy or religion since they're pulling their recommendations from scientific studies, so I offered them something that might help with their general psychological health. Hopefully one day they'll seek something deeper and not ask existential questions to computer nerds.

dudul 11y ago

A founder who doesn't take vacations or spend time with their family will most likely go crazy and fail.

danieltillett 11y ago
I am someone who really doesn’t like vacations. I don’t like travel, I don’t like hotels, and I don’t like eating in restaurants all the time. What I do like is living for an extended period of time in a new location where I can really get a feel for the place (months not days). I go years without a vacation then move somewhere for 6 months or longer.
- TranquilMarmot 11y ago
  How do you decide where to move next? Do you follow work? Or do you work remotely? I would love to do this but find moving to be incredibly stressful, and moving every six months I would feel like I don't have a real "home".
  - welly 11y ago
    I've lead a similar life to the OP so can probably answer this one. In the last 10 years, I've lived and worked Switzerland for 6 months, in the south of France for 9 months (contracting), in Scotland for a year, Canada for 10 months, New Zealand for 2 years, Australia on several occasions for a year or so at a time. I'm currently back in Australia now. In between those, I've lived back in the England, my home country. I've both been following work and picking places to live. I've done a little bit of remote work while I've been overseas but mainly working for various companies who have sponsored me for a visa to work. You're right in that moving is stressful but more than stressful, it's a real pain. As I've tended to live somewhere for longer than 6 months, I've lived in a place long enough to get settled to some degree and as a result, acquired "stuff" - living stuff such as small items of furniture, quilts, pillows, kitchen utensils, some consumer electronics (I've got an iMac and a laptop now) and so on. Stuff you need if you're not living out of a hotel for 6 months. That has been the biggest cause of stress and pain. If you can do without stuff, and I'd suggest if you live somewhere longer than 6 months you probably can't and unintentionally you'll start acquiring it anyway, then it would be far easier. If you can live out of a suitcase and laptop bag for 6 - 12 months, then seeing the world is a much easier prospect. I've never intentionally moved to new places, it's just how things have worked out but this time is the last time! And I've said that before but this time I mean it! (And I've said that before too). I would certainly recommend travel and working overseas - the experiences you get on both a personal and work level are invaluable. Do I feel like I have a home when I've moved to a new place? I would say I do but an outsider might suggest otherwise when they look at my living spaces that have a tendency to look unpacked! But this time.. this time, I'm staying.