It's common for founders' motivations to change over time, and many who initially planned to sell their company later find enduring reasons to continue.

It's important to remember why you started your company, especially during challenging times, to stay motivated and focused on long-term goals.

The best enduring motivations for a startup founder are genuine interest in the problem being solved and a love for the team they work with. The startup experience can significantly enhance your career opportunities, even if the startup fails.

Curiosity about the startup experience can be a valid motivation to begin your entrepreneurial journey.

To sustain motivation in a startup, it's crucial to identify what else you can be passionate about beyond just the problem at hand. The things you care about the most might be the same as everyone else's, so consider not letting passion be your primary decision-making factor.

We realized that the most important step in starting a company is defining your mission, which serves as a compass for your direction, rather than just focusing on technology or funding.

If you need to be convinced to start a VC-backed company, it's likely not the right path for you; the motivation should come from within, not external pressure.

Founders often have non-financial motivations, such as the desire for their parents to see their success, which can be more profound than monetary gains.

Know why you're starting a company and what problem you're trying to solve; if your reason isn't authentic, your chances of failure increase significantly.