创业如赌，胜负有时

Jack Dorsey at Startup School 2013 - YouTube

Jack Dorsey在YC Startup School 2013上的一段话令人深思：

I think the most important thing that all of you do is that you are building what you want to see in the world. You are making that bet that other people want to see the same thing in the world. Sometimes you lose the bet, sometimes you win. But the most important thing is you have the passion to build that thing for yourself. Because that is what is infectious and that is what brings other people to your calls and to your team.

几个月以来我一直陷于一种思想的困境。创业的起点是需求（Make Something People Love），道理虽是如此，但是当人们的需求与个人的人生方向发生冲突的时候总会让人内心苦痛，最后的结果很可能就是妥协而妥协，为谋生路而落入为他者而活为利润而活的悲苦境地。

Jack Dorsey的说法拆解了此中矛盾，问题的症结在于太过贪心，既想发财又想圆梦。这等好事并非没有，但是并非人人都能碰上。我们能做的只有深知自己是一个怎样的人要做怎样的事，除此之外，时代是会让你成为英雄还是一文不名，都是极偶然的事，甚至或喜或悲也没有定数。小众作家一辈子默默无闻郁郁而终是典型悲剧，他们说成功是可欲的。严肃的写作者被捧成大路作家而自杀，也并非不可能发生的黑色幽默，他们说成功是可怕的。

绝望到谷底后只能从自己身上寻找希望，先做对自己有意义的事，只有这样的事才能吸引同类人加入队伍，才能对同类的人们有意义。这并非什么精致的利己主义者的行为，而是命运之神在最后一刻递过来的救命锦囊。Jack Dorsey是诚实的，他说“创业如赌，胜负有时”，不过这样的话毛姆早已说过，“ 当你决定离开常轨行事时，这是一种赌博。许多人被点了名，但是当选的寥寥无几”。事情并没有到此为止，明眼人看得出问题依然存在，比如那另辟蹊径的决定究竟是谁做出的，多少自以为是赌桌上下注压点的玩家，不过是荷官手下翻滚的骰子。

附：Jack Dorsey在演讲中提到的摘录来自《The Art Spirit》by Robert Henri

1.

Art when really understood is the province of every human being.

It is simply a question of doing things, anything, well. It is not an outside, extra thing.

When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens ways for a better understanding.Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it, shows there are still more pages possible.

The world would stagnate without him, and the world would be beautiful with him; for he is interesting to himself and he is interesting to others. He does not have to be a painter or sculptor to be an artist. He can work in any medium. He simply has to find the gain in the work itself, not outside it.

艺术，当真正理解的时候，是每个人内在的一种能力

它其实是一种想把任何事情，做得更好的能力，并不是一种外在，多余的东西

当然一个人内在的艺术精神苏醒时，无论他具体的工作是什么，他都变成了一个具有创造力，不断思考，敢于冒险并且寻求自我表达的人。...

他扰乱、沮丧，启发别人，找到更好理解事物的方式。当别人想要合上一本书时，他却打开这本书，告诉他们，这之后还有更多可能的篇章

如果没有他的存在，这个世界会陷入停滞，有了他，世界会变得更美好；... 他不需要成为画家或雕塑家，来成为一个艺术家。他只需要找到在工作时，工作本身带来的乐趣，而不是外在的所得

2.

The work of the art student is no light matter. Few have the courage and stamina to see it through. You have to make up your mind to be alone in many ways.We like sympathy and we like to be in company. It is easier than going it alone. But alone one gets acquainted with himself, grows up and on, not stopping with the crowd. It costs to do this. If you succeed somewhat you may have to pay for it as well as enjoy it all your life.

作为学艺术的学生，并不轻松。很少有人能有足够的勇气和耐力把事情做到底。你得在很多方便，忍受住孤独。我们都渴望他人的理解，喜欢和他人一起工作。因为这比一个人做事来说，要容易多了。但是孤独的人，会逐渐熟悉自己，并且成长起来，不随众人而止步。这样做，是要付出代价的。如果你成功了，那么你可能要付出这种代价，却也会毕生享受这种经历。

3.

We are not here to do what has already been done.

我们不是来做已经做过的事情的。

4.

Know what the old masters did. Know how they composed their pictures, but do not fall into the conventions they established. These conventions were right for them, and they are wonderful. They made their language. You make yours. They can help you. All the past can help you.

学会前人是怎样做事的。学会他们如何构造他们的图画，但不要陷入他们建立的“规则”中。这些“规则”，对他们来说是正确的，而且也很棒。但他们建立了自己的语言，你要做你自己的语言。过去的人可以帮助你，所有的过去，都可以帮助你。

5.

Don't worry about the rejections. Everybody that's good has gone through it. Don’t let it matter if your works are not "accepted" at once. The better or more personal you are the less likely they are of acceptance. Just remember that the object of painting pictures is not simply to get them in exhibitions. It is all very fine to have your pictures hung, but you are painting for yourself, not for the jury. I had many years of rejections.

不要担心反对的声音。每个优秀的人都经历过这些。如果你的作品没有被立即接受，不要太在意。因为如果你的作品更好，或更具个人风格，那么就会更难被人们接受。只要记住，画画，并不仅仅是为了让它们得到展出。作品能够得到展出，当然很棒，但你是在为你自己二画，而不是为那些裁判而画。