Starting a company has taught me many things about myself and others. One thing it also does is drastically lower your tolerance for emotions, drama, and other lipservice. Because you are already dealing with 10 to 1 odds against success and you simply do not have time for them.

One thing I've become very intolerant of is people telling me they want to talk to me and then never getting back in touch with me because they are "busy" or "life is crazy."

Bullshit.

"Busy" or "life is crazy" is a simplification of a harsher but necessary message that someone is hoping you will not notice. It's shorthand for "_____ is a low priority for me right now so I have-not-done/am-not-doing it." Or to be more cynical, it is shorthand for "______ is not important to me."

That's fine. Obviously life has curve balls and priorities change. The world does not revolve around me and I should understand that I will get deferred from time to time. Otherwise I would be in for a world of disappointment.

But you see, "busy" is like a mulligan. You get to use it once, maybe twice with someone for a particular topic. Otherwise you are just repeatedly telling someone "_____ is not important to me." "Nope, still not important." "I thought ____ might be important and was going to do it, but no, something more important came up."

And after a few weeks of "busy but its cool I'll get to you" you realize that:

1) You simply are not important to this person.
2) They are doing you a disservice by leading you on.
3) You are starting a company and there are dozens of things that you should be working on instead of chasing this person.
4) You should make a mental note this person not reliable and stop wasting time on them.