This conversation, or topic rather, came about with a good friend.

He's struggling a bit because he thinks he wants to start a company, but isn't actually sure. There's been some waffling.

Here's the gist of the discussion.

The setup

Once you've worked for a bit and seen some success, things change.

What got you here, won't get you there.

You've seen success, you've seen how good things work. You've developed some taste.

You've gotten a sense for what you like and enjoy. But now (potentially) comes a new challenge.

Maybe that initial motivation is gone. Maybe you achieved more than you thought you would. Be it money, conquered challenges, whatever the case may be. You ended up getting a lot more than you anticipated that you would.

The resolution

That leaves you in a challenging spot. You're not motivated by the same things that you were before because you already 'got' them.

This is where you're at a crossroads. Either you take it on and sit back and reset, reflecting on what you want out of the next journey, or you just move into zombie mode which I'll define in a moment.

You take a step back. You think critically about your values and then you tack back and climb the next hill.

It's hard to reflect because it's uncomfortable, you have to migrate an identity from before to after. That involves new risks and challenges.

Zombie mode is a dangerous alternative, you check out, you stop thinking, you stop learning, you stop growing because you already got what you wanted to get. You need to take some time, decide what you actually want and then start the journey again.

This takes effort and a decision, but in some respects it's the only way.