1 year ago, I met a VC who had told me that my first startup idea won’t work. And you know what ultimately happened? He was right.
Thankfully, when I met him this time, he did not remember that meeting. Nor did I remind him. 😊
But why did I not accept his advice?
Maybe, I was headstrong and drinking my own Kool-Aid. But maybe, I had conviction, without which, you would never become an entrepreneur! Also, who knows — under different conditions, what if my startup had succeeded massively?
In real life, the difference between delusion and conviction is a bit hard to tell.
This is the biggest challenge with seeking advice. We hope that someone will tell us the right answer and save us.
But what if the ‘right answer’ is waiting to be created by your own actions? And even if there is an objectively right answer, are you open to receiving it?
So if you get sensible advice that resonates, try being receptive. But unfortunately, here is an unpalatable truth: Even good advice will probably not save you from yourself. And you know what — that is probably okay.
Because life has to be lived. And part of that living is making mistakes — including some really dumb ones.
– Rajan