I ran across Joe Kraus’s blog, Bnoopy. I’d seen this before, but this time I actually spent a little time with it.

This is excellent. Definite read if you are or hope to be involved with a startup. Here’s an excellent post: Startups and the Stockdale Paradox . It warns of the dangers of optimism and startups. I’ve seen it firsthand - heck, I’ve experienced it firsthand.

Here’s the funny thing: most of the optimists turn into disappointed, bitter pessimists by the middle-end of the first startup, as it fails to live up to their expectations. These folks have a real hard time.

But by their second startup, you’re looking at hardened realists. Unfortunately, some have lost their zeal for working their asses off, because they already did that and didn’t get rich and famous.

If you’re starting a startup, try to grab someone who’s been through it once or twice, hopefully with at least one success, to keep your natural optimism grounded in reality.