6 ms·

You're right that the probability of any individual "unicorn" type idea succeeding is ridiculously slim. But I think you're not appreciating the larger context.

You're right that the probability of any individual "unicorn" type idea succeeding is ridiculously slim. But I think you're not appreciating the larger context. Consider this: 1) I have never had more job offers in my life than the past 24 hours. Like, really good jobs. Obviously that wasn't the goal, but it's not like I'm out on the street or really in any way worse off than I was before. 2) I learned more in the past two years than I have any other time in my working life. So again, I'm not in that bad of a spot. It wasn't a waste of time at all. 3) Even though there are very few massive hit VC successes, they do happen dozens of times a year. Just because something is low-probability doesn't make it stupid. Do you think people are dumb who write novels? Or become actors? Or open food trucks? Nobody should try anything that probably won't work? That's a really sad life outlook.

Semiapies 9y ago
To be blunt, you're the one who complained about the outcome in your blog post and the one who is angrily seeking validation in Hacker News comments by personally attacking critics and saying nobody understands your unicorn or your boldness in rolling the dice. If your goal was to get some job offers, great. I got the impression that wasn't your goal, though. That you're fine, personally...well, I assumed that, given you bothered to blog about it. But yes, that's good. I hope that's true of everyone else involved. But to answer your last question...it's the wrong question. The real question is whether it's smart to pin all your hopes on a really unlikely way to succeed when other approaches exist. Most people who write novels, become actors, etc. don't quit their day jobs until they actually start to make it. Food trucks that don't turn a profit don't tend to get investors to save them. Most new businesses aren't wannabe unicorns.
deleted 9y ago
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Semiapies 9y ago

To be blunt, you're the one who complained about the outcome in your blog post and the one who is angrily seeking validation in Hacker News comments by personally attacking critics and saying nobody understands your unicorn or your boldness in rolling the dice. If your goal was to get some job offers, great. I got the impression that wasn't your goal, though. That you're fine, personally...well, I assumed that, given you bothered to blog about it. But yes, that's good. I hope that's true of everyone else involved. But to answer your last question...it's the wrong question. The real question is whether it's smart to pin all your hopes on a really unlikely way to succeed when other approaches exist. Most people who write novels, become actors, etc. don't quit their day jobs until they actually start to make it. Food trucks that don't turn a profit don't tend to get investors to save them. Most new businesses aren't wannabe unicorns.

deleted 9y ago

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