If you would have asked me this question about 20 years ago, when I built my first startup, I surely would have given you a reasonable answer. But if you would have kept asking me: “No, why do you really do this” — I am confident I could not have given you a good response.
For the record: My first company did electronic greetings cards. Not exactly a “change the world”-kinda thing.
I believe it’s an important question to ask (and answer). I meet so many entrepreneurs who are so excited about their idea — but when asked why they are doing it, they can’t give me a good answer.
See — the problem is that being a founder means you are in this for the long run. Building and potentially exiting a company is easily 5–10 years of your life. If you don’t know why you are really doing this; it will make this feel like an endless slug instead of a crazy, wild joyride.
And why would you want to do this? Thus — ask yourself: Why are you doing this really?
I get asked this very same question about The Heretic regularly. Here’s my answer: I write The Heretic because I love it. It is a way for me to reflect, to give back and to connect with insanely amazing people. I do this, because I love it. Which us also the reason why this is post number 772!