Life in School and Startup

Drive. What gives entrepreneurs the drive to do what they do? What makes them work hours on end for something that statistically speaking will probably flop? What makes them drop out of school and move back in with their parents to save enough money to finish v1.0 or to land their first angel? Entrepreneurs, young and old, put themselves through something equatable to draconian torture in order to succeed.

I think the most common reason is the prospect of all that money. People love money. If people could get just a little bit more money, well…they’d finally be able to take it to the next level, and work harder to get even more money. But the prospect of money seems to be the most superficial and most fleeting reason to put in work. Over the past year or so I’ve had a few spells of excitement consisting of  “Oh wouldn’t it be cool if we made this….” I really think the only reason for that excitement was the prospect of the money. I’ll admit, a lot of these ideas were terrible, not thought out, and never would have worked. Either way, the point is that these ideas I had were fleeting because my only motivation was the money.

Another reason is at the core of human needs; the need to be important. A lot of entrepreneurs satisfy this need by becoming successful. For some, the success is expected of them – the “I have to succeed because my father succeeded” scenario. But for others, myself included, I think we just want to prove to others we can make it on our own. We’re capable of doing great things and we want to prove that to others. I think that’s where I’m at right now. I don’t think I’m extremely talented at some practical skill like coding, design work, or any of that. But I just know I can do something meaningful, and that is my drive. And, at least for now, it will do.

However, I’ve yet to experience the drive I’d like to one day have. This drive is rooted in selflessness. It isn’t about money or making a name for yourself. The drive I’m talking about is the one that lets you help people and change lives. The drive that makes people go years without a good nights sleep. And maybe mine isn’t open-source architecture, as the link suggests, but I hope to one day be working on something because I am driven by the prospect of being able to help people in need, and thus, change the world for the better.

Money can’t buy happiness and someone will always have more. No matter how big of a name you manage to make for yourself, after you leave this world the biggest your name will ever be is determined by the font size of some old forgotten news article. Lives are measured in how many others you’ve changed for the better, and that’s why I want to find something that drives me to do just that.

Megatrends have come and gone since consumer society has been around.  All of the sheeple walking here and there, to and fro, to stay up with the latest fashion trends, social networks, employment booms and busts, etc.  Though “active” participation in society does not require one to stay up with the bleeding edge fashion or social networks, there exist other megatrends that eventually weave themselves into the fabric of our daily lives – ones that society will deem required for “normal” participation.  After much deliberation and study, I’ve decided to refer to these phenomena as “lifestyle revolutions” due to their revolutionary change on the lifestyle habits of people  Just as the advent of the Model T, large-scale farming, Jesus, and the internet forever changed the way we conduct our day-to-day lives, so will the current rise of talk and data via mobile phones.

As if everyone in society isn’t completely “last minute” yet, we sure as hell are all going to be flying by the seat of our pants by the time my kids are having kids.  Everyone and every”thing” is now at the fingertips of consumers able to place a phone call and view internet data whenever and wherever they do so choose.  Yellowpages and libraries are much less popular, payphones are disappearing at an alarming rate, and mobile accessories are on the rise due to the increasing amount of lifestyle reliance on our mobile phone.  I would hate to be in Rand McNally’s shoes right now.  Why, though, is the mobile phone revolution going to persist longer than other fads such as Friendster and the Pet Rock – persist much like Microsoft Windows and the Petroleum industry has?

The answer is not that one person’s daily life relies on a mobile phone for communication and internet.  The answer is that the vast majority of society will soon rely on the abilities of mobile devices.  When adults tell me they don’t have a mode of transportation, a mobile phone, the internet, etc, I begin to wonder why.  It’s not necessarily that each person needs these items for his or her own personal use, but rather to effectively participate in American society.

I can see in 30 years everyone having a mobile phone with internet access.  People will consider it a lifestyle necessity, and will be severely impacted should damage or loss occur.  In the meantime, let’s just sit back and ride the wave of an enormous industry growing to support this mobile revolution.