What was one of the reasons the Jamestown colonists did so poorly at first?

Instead of putting their energy into farming, they wasted time looking for gold

One of the reasons Jamestown's colonists did so poorly at first was because the people who lived there were mainly rich men who didn't know how to grow crops, had weaker immune systems, and didn't like to work. This went on until John Smith made it clear " He who does not work, neither shall he eat."