On my first one, I had about 5k I gathered on small jobs during college years. Lost it all (and then some more), had to sleep in a client's floor for a week+ before I could afford a (windowless) roof again, but didn't give in for almost 2 years.
On my second, had enough to pay my bills from side-projects. Didn't make any money, but didn't get to sleep on the streets (which was sort of bittersweet - among the "survivors" from this period are companies such as Rovio, Gameloft and Kiloo)
On my third, had enough money not to have to work for a year or two. Got to sell the business in a good moment, for a reasonable amount.
From first to last, my actual anxiety about losing what I've amassed was exponentially higher on each try. I guess having more to lose plays a VERY important factor in determining how much effort/faith you put in a project (and how much pain can you endure before giving up)...
On my second, had enough to pay my bills from side-projects. Didn't make any money, but didn't get to sleep on the streets (which was sort of bittersweet - among the "survivors" from this period are companies such as Rovio, Gameloft and Kiloo)
On my third, had enough money not to have to work for a year or two. Got to sell the business in a good moment, for a reasonable amount.
From first to last, my actual anxiety about losing what I've amassed was exponentially higher on each try. I guess having more to lose plays a VERY important factor in determining how much effort/faith you put in a project (and how much pain can you endure before giving up)...