Sunday, March 25, 2007

Paul Graham: You're Not Smart Enough?

Reason number 3 why people don't start a startup:

You're not smart enough

Actually that's probably not a problem, surprisingly.

Because very few people underestimate their intelligence. So if you're smart enough to worry you're not smart enough... you're probably smart enough! Also, frankly, I wish I could claim that being a startup founder meant you have to be super smart, because then I'd be super smart, right?

But frankly, it doesn't. Silicon Valley can work this perspective on this because there's a cult of smartness here. Everyone who's not smart at least tries to act that way.

If you think you have to be super smart to be rich, I'll tell you what will cure you. Go try hanging around for a few days in one of the fancier bits of New York or Los Angeles.

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