A library of Paul Graham's essays, typeset with care.https://pgalmanack.com/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/founders-mode/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/founders-mode/At a YC event last week, Brian Chesky gave a talk that everyone who was there will remember…Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/do-things-that-dont-scale/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/do-things-that-dont-scale/One of the most common types of advice we give at Y Combinator is to do things that don't scale…Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/how-to-get-startup-ideas/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/how-to-get-startup-ideas/The way to get startup ideas is not to try to think of startup ideas — it's to look for problems…Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/the-top-idea-in-your-mind/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/the-top-idea-in-your-mind/What one thinks about in the shower in the morning is more important than I'd thought…Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/makers-schedule/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/makers-schedule/One reason programmers dislike meetings so much is that they're on a different type of schedule from other people…Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/cities-and-ambition/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/cities-and-ambition/Great cities attract ambitious people — in a hundred subtle ways, the city tells you to try harder…Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/the-power-of-the-marginal/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/the-power-of-the-marginal/Great new things often come from the margins, and yet the people who discover them are looked down on by everyone…Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/how-to-do-what-you-love/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/how-to-do-what-you-love/To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel…Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/great-hackers/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/great-hackers/A few months ago I finished a new book, and in reviews I keep noticing words like provocative and controversial…Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/what-you-cant-say/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/what-you-cant-say/Have you ever seen an old photo of yourself and been embarrassed at the way you looked…Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMThttps://pgalmanack.com/essays/hackers-and-painters/https://pgalmanack.com/essays/hackers-and-painters/When I finished grad school in computer science I went to art school to study painting…Thu, 01 May 2003 00:00:00 GMT