While I agree with most of your comment, there is something to be said for preparation. Do you think it's unwise of me to wait until after I pay off my student loans (a year, perhaps) to quit my job and start my own business? Keep in mind that student loans are one of the only loans you can't get out of with bankruptcy. This is the kind of very specific preparation that doesn't have to keep escalating. I'm reasonably comfortable walking away from a failed startup with nothing; what I'm not comfortable with is being saddled with an ever-growing debt I can't get rid of.