Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of people that do, but there's even more that couldn't give two (insert appropriately grotesque object) about it. I'll give you an example. About 3 weeks ago, I gave notice. I'm leaving a job I liked quite a bit that paid well and a position of some power at that. Certainly, everyone's first question from there on was "where you goin'? whatcha doin' next?", and I would always answer "I'm doing my own thing, trying out a startup".

9 times out of 10, their reaction would be a mix of benign jealousy and admiration, followed quickly by rapid questions about the startup and a series of "good luck"s and "you'll do great"s. It's not that they aren't entrepreneurial (to a certain extent), or that they don't have ideas of their own. It's more that they have kids and wives and dogs and mortgages and a 401k and ... and ... and ... stuff. And all of us in the startup community have at least some subset of all those, but we make a choice. We choose to not get enough sleep and work after hours, or we choose to cut into the nest egg (or the piggy bank) and quit and try it out and see. None of us know ahead of time, all of us hope that we're the next (insert inspirational startup founder). But all of us think that what we're doing is a natural progression; after all - everyone around us is doing it, right?

But who's everyone? Everyone is the community of driven risk-takers that post to hacker news, that read joel on software, that know about gigaom and all the other bloggers in our sector of the blogosphere (g-d i hate that word). And like in so many other communities, we assume that the vast majority of people not there are just like us too, because - come on, just continue the model outward, right? If 90% of the people here are in startups or trying to get in, shouldn't the rest of the world follow suit?

The startup community, and its flagship blogs and forums have rallied around them those few in the world that are willing to take that plunge with no bottom in sight. And it has gathered so many of us that we think that everyone we meet thinks the same way, wants the same things and is willing to take the same risks.

They are not. Take a moment, and reflect on the decision you are about to make. If you are reading this, chances are this decision will cost you dearly. And chances are, it's the right decision, and one that few will make.