[paulsutter]

It's a great point, too bad the author is focused on loserisms like winning competitive awards. Most ironic of all is applying for a Thiel fellowship because it's prestigious.

From "Competition is for losers" (http://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-thiel-competition-is-for-l...):

"Always prioritize the substance of what you're doing. Don't get caught up in the status, the prestige games. They're endlessly dazzling, and they're always endlessly disappointing.” -Peter Thiel

[mcguire]

"The best college application is stellar grades and some good awards, the best resume is a great network and lots of success stories, and the best pitch to VCs is a rock-solid business."

...all of which are competitive awards.

[angersock]

> Don't get caught up in the status, the prestige games.

Easy to say if you're a billionaire.

[paulsutter]

An entrepreneur needs to create some unique value. That won't happen if you're following the same path as many others. Prestigious paths are very competitive, and they're competitive for precisely the reason that so many people are pursuing them. Thus competition is for losers.

Which is a better direction? Investing your energy in solving a problem where no good solution exists today? Or competing for a corner office?

[angersock]

> If you're going to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to create some unique value.

That's a way to succeed.

> That won't happen if you're following the same path as many others.

Yep, and that's why Valve and Epic shouldn't have bothered entering the FPS goldrush after Id and 3D Realms owned the market. :|

> Investing your energy in solving a problem for others where no good solution exists today? Or competing for a corner office?

How about doing what gets me paid? A lot of investors are seemingly more than happy to blow money on mundane rehashes of ideas in hopes of betting on the best rehash. There is no shame in being the not-quite-as-good rehash, if you get paid along the way.

Talking about "solving problems for others" is just a way of grandstanding pretending there's any more legitimacy to your narrowly-defined path of success as anything else. Lawyers and finance folks aren't solving anything new for others, and yet they're better compensated than any of us.

Jesus, stop buying this bullshit...it is how we (developers and entrepreneurs) are getting taken advantage of.

EDIT: Also, how is spying on consumers and modeling their data making the world a better place or solving a new problem, exactly? At least Transium was kinda new in the search tech space. :|

[scarecrowbob]

Equally easy to say if you don't have much at all. :D

And an easier position for most folks to get into, if they aren't already.