Ask HN: Do I follow my dreams by risking my college experience and wasted time?
Recently, I learned that I’m high openness to experience and low conscientiousness. This basically means I’m very creative, yet not naturally hard working. All the advice I’ve found online basically states: “find something creative that you can jump into, and begin, it’ll help you become a better person.” I don’t disagree with any of this.<p>And, better yet, I know <i>exactly</i> what that project can be. I’ve been dreaming about it intensely for the last year or so. In May (for irrelevant reasons), I had to write out all the big themes in my life, and it honestly seemed like that this project was at the center of all of them. It’s a reasonable amount above my skill level, but I know that if I really focus on it, I can do it.<p>But on the other hand, I know how obsessed I get with projects. If I half commit to a project, I have a 20% chance I’ll get it done, but if I fully commit, that chance is much higher. But right now I’m entering my junior year of college, and I’m a little afraid I’ll miss all the experiences that come with that.<p>And the final, most complicating factor, is success. I’ve been down this road once before, I made another project. It wasn’t really tied to my identity as much, and was more just an attempt to make a success for the sake of success. And because of those reasons, it bombed. But this time, I feel like I&#x27;ve learned a lot, and really know how to approach a project of this sort. And if it is a success, I feel like that it would enable me to begin living the life that I want to live.<p>TL;DR
+ Builds character long term
+ Chance for a groundbreaking success
- Miss out on college experience 
- Chance for big failure