Life is always full, as by definition you're doing something with every minute of it. (Sitting around watching TV still counts as doing something in this definition.)
So really, it's just a matter of filling your life with the stuff you want it full of. Kids softball games seem like a fine thing to fill your life with, as does 80 hour weeks trying to build the next Twitter, as does 10 hour weeks trying to build the thing that makes it so you don't have to work anymore, as does spending 4 nights a week in the climbing gym so that one day you might be able to redpoint an 8a.
The sad thing, though, is that most people tend to fill their life with Simpsons reruns and 60 hour weeks at their salaried in-house developer job (because it's crunch time). If you find yourself doing that, stop. Find something you'd actually like to see your life filled with and make it a priority to do that thing.
I would add that the kids eventually leave home which, in my case, un-filled things considerably. A lot of friends my age (54) choose to re-fill that time with charity boards, golfing trips, etc. But some of us choose to go right back to the drawing board, and have a blast doing it.
Are you doing this as a solo founder or were you able to connect with other potential partners? I ask because one of the benefits not mentioned in the article is that people just out of college already know a bunch of people with free time on their hands. Seems like this would be tougher in your mid-50s.
Really great question, Daniel. I can see where it might often be the case that someone 50+ might not know people able to devote startup-level time to a new project. I've done solo deals from time to time, but having great partners is infinitely more fun, and that's what I'm doing again this time. In my case it wasn't hard. I tend to hang out with people similarly energized by startups, and did a decent job staying in touch after my last company. My last company had a good outcome (IPO) so I'm fortunate to have a fair rolodex of people I've worked with who wouldn't mind doing so again, some of whom are my age, and some are quite a bit younger.
I'm overweight, out-of-shape and have very little social life.
Is a life full of watching sports events and chit-chatting in you social club something you want? Or do you want more than that?
I don't think that was intentional, but his characterization of socializing and athletics as lesser pursuits reflects where he's ended up. (I'm using a little artistic license here to make a point, he does say watching sporting events -- he didn't indicate how he feels about participating in athletics and being active.)
Having thought that way in the past I don't find spending an hour a day exercising (for the past month) to reduce my overall productivity -- in exchange for that hour (half of which I spend listening to audiobooks or reading kindle), I sleep less, have more energy, etc.
I'd be interested to see the actual stats on average age of founders. I know quite a few in the 30-40 range.
I just think they're more likely to work on unsexy stuff because they know more about business having worked in it and less about socialising.
There's so many problems you don't even realise exist when you're a 20-odd year old founder because you've not actually spent any time in the business world.
A spouse, a mortgage, children, student loans -- life quickly throws you all kinds of things that you don't have the option of escaping.
Once you've made the choice to get married and have children, yes, you cannot escape your choice. But life does not "throw" these things at you; you choose them. Some people do not make these choices, and therefore remain free of these constraints forever, regardless of age.
Minor nitpick #2: if the guy's unencumbered, then he also has the choice to eat better and walk a couple miles a day to resolve that whole out-of-shape and overweight dilemma.
To quote Tuco from _The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: "If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working?"
> Minor nitpick #2: if the guy's unencumbered, then he also has the choice to eat better and walk a couple miles a day to resolve that whole out-of-shape and overweight dilemma.
100% agree. Speaking from personal experience - once I put a little thought into it, it turns out you don't really have to give up much to eat healthy and get a little exercise in the course of your day. It genuinely is really just a matter of getting over that initial hump.
So really, it's just a matter of filling your life with the stuff you want it full of. Kids softball games seem like a fine thing to fill your life with, as does 80 hour weeks trying to build the next Twitter, as does 10 hour weeks trying to build the thing that makes it so you don't have to work anymore, as does spending 4 nights a week in the climbing gym so that one day you might be able to redpoint an 8a.
The sad thing, though, is that most people tend to fill their life with Simpsons reruns and 60 hour weeks at their salaried in-house developer job (because it's crunch time). If you find yourself doing that, stop. Find something you'd actually like to see your life filled with and make it a priority to do that thing.