Article · medium

What Startups Are Really Like

Paul Graham · paulgraham.com Free Beginner

Graham surveyed 100+ founders on what surprised them most about starting up, an honest, de-romanticized picture of the emotional rollercoaster that prepares you for the real experience.

  • The emotional highs and lows are far more extreme than founders expect
  • It's harder and takes longer than anyone anticipates, persistence is everything
  • Your relationships with co-founders matter enormously to survival
  • Being tired and demoralized is normal; knowing that in advance builds resilience
Open on paulgraham.com ↗

It answers 3 questions

  1. How do I build resilience for the emotional rollercoaster of startup life?
  2. How do I keep going when I'm demoralized and want to give up?
  3. Everyone around me is raising huge rounds and posting wins on LinkedIn. How do I run my own race without spiraling?

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