
Ask HN: How did you get past the analysis paralysis for startup ideas? - gyani95
A few friends and I have been talking about doing a startup as far as I can remember. After University all of us took jobs and now we feel fairly comfortable to start a business&#x2F;something on the side. Only problem : Can&#x27;t decide on an idea.<p>We create spread sheets and Google docs of ideas but can&#x27;t zero in on anything. In University we would hack on anything and release it. I feel we are romanticizing the perfect idea too much.<p>Are we using ideas as an excuse to not start something?<p>Should we randomly hack on things that we like?<p>How did you get past your stage of analysis paralysis?<p>Some advice, I have received is to not look for ideas but to solve problems that you see in this world. How do you pick what problem you&#x27;ll be spending the next few years on?<p>How did you find your idea?
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madamelic
>Are we using ideas as an excuse to not start something?

Yes

>Should we randomly hack on things that we like?

Yes

>How did you get past your stage of analysis paralysis?

Start building something I love

>How do you pick what problem you'll be spending the next few years on?

Don't. It is far too hard to predict what is and isn't going to be a hit. If
you really hate something, it'd be really dumb of you to pursue it just
because you think you'll make money.

Build something you are passionate about.

I just keep a Trello list of any idea I have. I don't prejudge. I put ideas on
there even if I think they're dumb because some day they might stop being or
might morph into something else.

~~~
gyani95
How do you pick what to work on from your Trello list?

~~~
madamelic
Some kind of combination of what is currently feasible (I have the space to
work on it), interesting to work on and occasionally, has the potential to be
monetized.

I sometimes work on stuff that don't have a clear monetization path. Generally
those turn into experiments that I can feed the lessons into easier to
monetize projects.

------
saluki
Most profitable ideas are something that solves a problem you or one of your
founders and who's customers would be businesses or individuals who could
save/make money using your service in their own business.

For Inspiration Checkout the businesses on indiehackers. Listen to their
podcast too.
[https://www.indiehackers.com/products](https://www.indiehackers.com/products)

Good Advice - DHH Startup School
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CDXJ6bMkMY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CDXJ6bMkMY)

Listen to the archive starting at episode 1 Rob goes from drop shipping beach
towels and jobs websites through a couple successful software products to
founding and exiting with Drip.
[http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/archives](http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/archives)

