Читать книгу The Resilient Founder. Lessons in Endurance from Startup Entrepreneurs онлайн

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In The Theory of Moral Sentiments, economist Adam Smith writes, “The great source of both the misery and disorders of human life, seems to arise from overrating the difference between one permanent situation and another.”

Adam Smith is asking us to take another look at our own situations and probably saying, maybe it's not that bad. Maybe we are overrating it. Maybe this hopelessness, maybe this terrible situation should be perceived differently. He reminds us that a founder has to disturb the peace of society to achieve their outcomes. ”The person under the influence of any extravagant passions, is not only miserable in his actual situation, but is often disposed to disturb the peace of society, in order to arrive at that which he so foolishly admires.”

And he adds that “none of them can deserve to be pursued with that passionate ardor which drives us to violate the rules either of prudence or of justice; or to corrupt the future tranquillity of our minds …” In the quest of innovation and pursuit of extravagant passions, entrepreneurs can make themselves and others miserable. The mantra of persistence is often chanted at the expense of immense sacrifices. Persistence – a noble virtue – can even become a source of misery.