If you understand the difference, it is often painfully obvious that most of us are in the last boat.

If you want something, you would typically be doing it already. Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch, but you might be more interested in asking questions than in giving answers. In that case, just try to enjoy life as long as it is smiling to you.

If you are worried about layoffs, what do you think is going to happen when your startup statistically fails? What are you going to do about income while trying to get the company off the ground?

I've mused about this hypothetical as well. I think, it would only happen if someone has a really good idea, is really skilled in many areas and also (and this is the key) is dead set on it being a single person unicorn.

Why? Well, once money starts coming in there will always be areas where adding another human (or a hundred) can help. In other words there might not be much distance between a single person unicorn and a zero person one (in which the AI comes up with idea and does everything else too).

All respectable accomplishments, but some of the most accomplished may not be the most balanced :\

Money would be the one that could be taken away from you most easily, or even completely lost inadvertently through no fault of your own.

Caring about other people is probably better for creating products. And commitment to create products is certainly better.

Creating products he good thing about creating copy cat products. Craft is often an excuse to not create. Good luck.

Even if you are in tech and do get laid-off, you’re much more likely to find something quickly in another space than if there’s a 2-year gap in your resumé. And you can always ‘trade-down’ to a more menial job if you’re desperate, whilst you build your dream.

For now, I treat it like this: Job = stability Side projects = creativity + potential upside

That feels a lot healthier than quitting out of fear of layoffs or FOMO from seeing other people’s revenue screenshots.

After I was done with it I tried different projects. None got completed or succeeded after launch as the online environment changed tremendously and it was no longer the golden age of 2000s and 2010s where anything was possible. Then through life circumstances I got into investing and after few years I quit working altogether. I did not want to lose all my skill, so I wanted to do another project to kill time. It was hard as I knew what would be waiting for me at the end, I've been there many times. I did not want to waste time on something I knew would end up going nowhere again. I also had money to spend this time, not just time. Luckily, I found it. It took me 2 years to launch, 2.5y in total with breaks, and a lot of money(mostly business related). But as I said, the internet has changed and the challenges for running a digital service business, especially in EU, are tremendous(meaning, hard to get noticed, to get customers, to make money).

I now have no desire to work on anything new. This is it for me. I tried too many times and failed too many times. The suitable environment to do this is gone for good. I am not sure what I'll do in the future. I hate to lose my skills by not doing though.

Anyway, good luck. Don't give up but also don't be a fool and take opportunists to make money along the way if you can.