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It’s a fine line though. A little pressure helps focus, but too much is imho extremely detrimental.

I did two startups earning almost nothing and at first I was super focused and driven but as time went by, worrying about paying rent or being able to afford the dentist (or whatever) had a drastic negative effect on my mental health, work quality and quantity and over time increased disagreements with cofounders (when you’re super stressed for long periods of time, it gets harder to work through things). Ultimately this led to the demise of both companies.

Pressure is a very useful tool in moderation. It helps you focus on what’s important and encourages clever solutions and innovations. But too much (especially worries about your personal survival like rent) I believe drastically reduces your chances of success.



I might be leaning towards suffering maybe a little too much. Intellectually, I can justify but it but it takes its toll, perhaps needlessly.


Well, like I said, some suffering I think is motivating and focusing, but after a while it certainly takes it’s toll.




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