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Purpose‑Driven Founders Outperform Fame‑Seeking Entrepreneurs

This is my single biggest disagreement with YC. Starting a startup to get famous, or to do better than those around you, or for vanity, or yes even just to get rich, is worse for society and worse for founders. It's what leads to the rise of gambling apps and slop apps and get rich quick schemes. Society is better served by founders who have a vision for how the world should look that they care deeply about and work tirelessly to build it. It's also better for founders! Those that have made the biggest impact throughout history and those that have been the most fulfilled are people with deep meaning in their lives. Meaning does not come from chasing fame or riches or titles. It comes from doing something greater than yourself. It comes from serving others. Ironically, having a mission that's bigger than yourself is also more likely to lead to outsize financial success than simply chasing money. Can you imagine if Steve Jobs was driven by fame? Or to get rich? Jensen? Page and Brin? All were driven by a vision they had for the world first and foremost. If we encourage founders to start startups to get famous, we're in for a bad time. If the highest aspiration founders have is to get rich, the future will be worse off. We can do so much better. Let's make something civilization needs.