Episode description
I wrote a blog post, that ended up Hacker News, called: "What's happening with founders over 40?" I got a lot of comments and reactions to the piece, so I thought I'd respond to those here.
Key moments:
- 0:00 - What was the blog post about?
- 1:28 - Discussion of cognitive changes and fluid vs crystallized intelligence
- 3:01 - Personal example of declining energy for late-night work
- 5:36 - Menopause and hormonal changes in aging
- 7:58 - Research showing the age of a successful founder is 45
- 10:15 - Personal life stage considerations
- 12:31 - Thoughts on ambition and different paths for aging entrepreneurs
- 14:04 - Discussion of taking health seriously in your 40s
- 15:44 - Example of shifting gears like Rob Walling
- 17:38 - Final example: Bob Dylan
Key Quotes:
- "At 44, I don't feel like I still have the raw horsepower in terms of creative mental energy that I did 20 years ago."
- "It's like gradually and then sudden. And there's actually research that shows that aging might happen in these bursts."
- "A 50 year old entrepreneur is nearly twice as likely to have a runaway success as a 30 year old."
- "Nothing sticks. I have to clear my schedule, concentrate, take supplements, stay up late, and take copious notes just to make a bit of progress on anything."
- "You can't have the same kind of energy or creative firepower forever. I did that. I can't do that anymore, but I can do other things now."
Links:
- Blog post: What's happening with founders over 40?
- Draft: I'm 44, and my brain is getting worse
- Article: How Old Are Successful Tech Entrepreneurs?
- Blog: Old founders do this better
- Research: How the Aging Brain Affects Thinking
- Article: Humans age dramatically at two key points in life
- Research: Nonlinear dynamics of multi-omics profiles during human aging
- Peter Attia: build muscle in your 40s
- Video: Bob Dylan, 60 minutes
- Book: From Strength to Strength, Arthur Brooks