I wish you the best! At 52 I have cashed out the stock options and paid the mortgage twice. In the end 3 weeks or so is the most I can go without either wanting to help someone build a company or wanting to build a company. There is work life after burnout!
Brings to mind the "Notebooks of Lazarus Long" portions of Heinlein's "Time Enough for Love". Viewed from 52 years old you make me wish my thoughts had been as coherent when I was 30. Good stuff.
Many times. Usually I become disheartened at how difficult the project really is to complete. Then I ask myself if the project is really important to me. If I answer yes I try to break it down to the next 3 steps, and just commit to doing those three. Sometimes you need to learn something to make progress. After a few question - recommit - work cycles more will have been done on the project. Then you wind up refactoring!
YC makes investments. Startups and their founders are not employees of YC. You are allowed to know the age(s) of individuals that own companies you wish to invest in.