My logic: almost everyone who succeeds did so with a trail of 'no' behind them and the only way to get those is to put yourself out there. YC's application was something I labored over for a couple weeks and feel I got a great deal of value from that process alone... this is no different and I would have hoped that everyone applied.
Congratulations, man! I'm transitioning to this sort of thing myself (going from 6 figures to a pt gig, 2 days a week).
My suggestion: get a whiteboard, now. Don't do anything but decompress for the next few days (i.e.. fuck off) and write anything that comes to mind about your startup.
One of the most important processes for the human brain is externalization: it's why talking about problems helps as you can't think feelings... but you can write them down and later think about them.
I'd wager you're quite emotionally charged right now, hence the paralysis, so just start writing (don't erase anything) and sort it out next week. Things will be much clearer then.
I've had the opportunity to meet with and talk with Woz before. The man really can't be anything but honest and he just loves talking - to anyone - about technology. He's almost the anti-Apple in that respect.
Going through their application... I think their Challenge should be to really revamp it. I feel like I have to click Save after ever field or I'll be redirected to some random page when I click "Next."
For me, I am not motivated by money but rather motivated by the things I can continue to create with larger sums of it. I am a creator, inventor by nature... I've done it all my life.
Having the money to sort out the pithy details of day-to-day life like food, shelter, etc. and simultaneously funding my insane garage projects I embark upon constantly is a nice-to-have but not an expectation.
Really, in the end, I just want to build a legion of robotic minions.
I can understand your disappointment but at the time of your posting it was barely the 7th. It seems you have already discounted yourself long before today happened... which is a shame.
It IS Mac vs PC all over again. The main reason PC "won" initially was because it got the consumer mindshare first and became more rapidly adopted by the masses.
As for the specs you're throwing out: my mom doesn't care about specs, cores, or whatever a GPU-whatsitdoozy is. Android will win with the hardcore nerd/tech-enthusiast like the 360/PS3 won with the hardcore gamer... Apple/Nintendo is for everyone else.
Usually I come here for the intellectual discourse on a variety of technology and business topics. All that went through my head, line after line, was "oh no he di-ent!"
I submitted early Feb and I feel the same way. I actually resubmitted once or twice to change how far we had gotten (lines of code) and new competitors that cropped up (note: more than you'd think in such a short period of time).
Oddly, what is keeping me awake isn't the application so much. I've kind of resigned myself that it would be a nice-to-have but not a requirement. What keeps me awake now is things like reducing my monthly expenses more and more so I can work less and less for the man and more and more for myself.
I do 24 hours 1-3x a week but with a twist. Most people think "24 hours" and think "in the same day." I will eat breakfast and lunch one day and then nothing until dinner time the following evening. It still accomplishes the 24 hours (more like 27-29).
I also generally exercise at the start of the fast to burn off my glycogen stores so my body relies on stored fat for energy the next day.
I am not saying that I judge a book by its cover, but I won't put an ugly icon on my home screen. I might bury it in the one folder I have if I like it enough (I'm looking at you, Evernote, iTap RDP). Just sayin'
My logic: almost everyone who succeeds did so with a trail of 'no' behind them and the only way to get those is to put yourself out there. YC's application was something I labored over for a couple weeks and feel I got a great deal of value from that process alone... this is no different and I would have hoped that everyone applied.