One of the biggest surprises about doing a startup is that there's no one whose job it is to be impressed if you work hard. I vaguely suspect that humans weren't designed for that, which is part of why startups are so stressful.
"I vaguely suspect that humans weren't designed for that"
I agree. People are quick to praise children for advancing in life, but care little for adults doing the same. The history of humanity is worrying more about your own fight for survival rather than praising other adults for theirs.
