| You know, I understand your situation. I was in startup mode and a girl came along and I told her straight up, "My startup is more important to me than a girl. I don't want a girlfriend, I want a startup and I want a business and my #1 priority is making my business work. You are my mistress." I was totally honest with her. She knew from the beginning what I wanted and I let her decide what she wanted. She decided to stay and "tolerate" my startup mentality. I'm an entrepreneur. I have been since I was too young to work legally and I probably always will be. She has stuck by my side for over three years now and I am going to marry her -- I hope. You can never predict the future, but through all this, I have fallen in love with her more than my startup and I want to be with her more than my startup and I will be. I'm no expert in life, advice is all recycled life experiences and my life is different than your life. But really, think about it... a startup is just a peacock feather that will help you be happy with the woman you love and spread your genes and procreate. That's what life is about. If you find the woman of your dreams, then a startup doesn't matter as much anymore. Your happiness is the goal. What makes you happy? Finding someone you can talk to and love and cherish and be with forever, or a startup you can flip? Maybe it's the former, maybe it's the latter... you don't even know yet or you wouldn't be asking the question. Give it time, figure it out. Be honest with your partner. Don't expect to be steve jobs or lance armstrong... do you want testicular cancer? Probably not. Just live life and try to be happy and treat people with respect and honesty and let them decide what they want. If she wants to be with you while you focus on entrepreneural persuits, then that is what she has decided and then she is the one you want to keep around. If she says, "No, I want you to focus on me and not your company." Then maybe you should let her go if that's what you prefer. |