[falafelite]

I’m also late 20s, have enjoyed some startup chaos, and have come to similar points regarding contentment derived from relationships and coming to terms with my limits and finitude. I’ve thought “Am I giving up? Am I just doing the easy thing so I can live comfortably? At the cost of my dreams/ambitions/yearning?” Which seems like what your mentor has named “boring”. But I don’t think it’s quite that simple.

There is nothing wrong with finding a state of being that is comfortable for you right now. Maybe this is what you need, right now. There is nothing that says this is how it will be from now on. You might quit and start something in 5 years, you might not. You might enjoy side projects or other creative endeavors alongside your job.

What you probably don’t want to lose is that creativity, that excitement. Again, that doesn’t need to look like a successful startup. It could look like a fun side project, a community effort you’re involved in, whatever. The point is, and I think this is a big realization for me from the past year (but what do I know I’m not even 30) is that you don’t need to put all your eggs in the job basket. It doesn’t need to be your primary creative outlet. I’m fact, it might be better if it isn’t tied to your livelihood.

Sorry if I’m way off the mark from where your head is at, but I hope thoughts like this are what you’re looking for. If not, my b!