I’ve noticed two types of founders in the AI space.
The first has a North Star. They know their life’s vision and mission. They have clarity on what they want to build and why. For them, the product is a means to an end, not the purpose itself.
The second is more opportunistic. No firm foundation of vision. They throw things at the wall to see what sticks. They pivot constantly, chasing success wherever it appears.
Either approach can work and lead to success.
But I think generally the founders with a North Star have inner peace and handle the chaos better.
Think about what it’s like building in AI right now. Every day there’s a new model, a new capability, a new competitor. For founders without a North Star, it’s like being a kid in a candy store, except there are a million candies and they change shape and color every minute. It’s dizzying.
But for the founder with a North Star, everything happening in the world feeds into their thesis. They don’t try to absorb all the information; they filter it through their vision. They pick what aligns, ignore what doesn’t.
They feel less dizzy because they’re not chasing everything. They’re building toward something specific.
So for the founders who have a clear North Star, the entire world becomes their building material. Every development and shift in the market becomes another block they can use to compound their vision. They’re not reacting; they’re integrating.