

Ask HN: How do you stay focused on one idea? - bry

I have been working on one startup or another since I was in my teens. Not one has been super-successful, but that's ok because I expect that as an entrepreneur. I've learned a lot along the way.<p>What I can't seem to do, however, is stay focused on just one idea. I am a developer and an ok designer. I'm good at what I do (in general, as a developer) and am constantly coming up with new ideas. I have a few that I really like, and I've spent serious time on a few of them, but I find myself becoming bored of each idea before too long, and then I am off thinking about or looking into some other new and exciting idea.<p>How do you stay focused on just one idea? It feels like any decent idea could be profitable enough to help me leave my job with enough persistence, but I can't seem to stay focused or excited about just one idea. What I want is independence and to build something that other people really love to use. I'm fine with a lifestyle business instead of a home-run, if that means I can work for myself. I'm now in my early 30's, and it feels like time is slipping away. I work on my projects in the evenings, generally around 20 hours per week.<p>I think of myself as a single founder, not because I don't want to or won't work with someone else, but because I haven't yet found someone who is as dedicated to actually building something, anything, as I am. I've teamed up with people a few times, but they all fizzle out (they underestimated the time involved, got married, had a baby, etc). I'm open to really finding someone else to work with, but I'm not sure that will really fix the problem.<p>Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you stay focused on just one idea when its no longer "fun" (for me that would be things like marketing, building the back-end, etc)? What can/should I do?
======
dstein
1) pick a project large and difficult enough that you don't already know how
to accomplish it. I certainly will not have fun if I already know how to
accomplish the task before I've begun.

2) daily progress. It doesn't have to be consistently a huge amount of
progress every day, but it should be enough progress that you could grab
somebody and say "hey take a look at what I did today" and be able to show
them some new functionality you've added.

3) responsibility. You should feel bad if you are not making progress. If
there are no consequences then it's easy to slide off the cliff.

To help myself with #3, two weeks ago I began making daily video logs (like
from the movie Avatar). Every day I tell the camera what I have accomplished,
and I present a quick 1-2 minute demo of the new code or functionality. But
most importantly I tell the camera what I will accomplish tomorrow. And in
tomorrow's video log I better either have that task completed or I have to
fess up and explain to the camera why I didn't get it done.

~~~
travisglines
Captains Log March 9th 2011:

"The delete bookmark function of we_made_a_delicious_clone was not complete
this morning due to far too much reading of HackerNews"

------
devan
You have to realise if you're not focused on one project your mind is going to
be scattered everywhere and you'll end up with half assed products or
incomplete projects. I made this mistake when i was trying to start something
like 3 companies at the same time when i was 15/16, i wanted to do it all. You
just can't.

For example if you had a series of essays to do in a certain amount of time,
they'd all probably be mediocre or incomplete. Yet, if you had to do one essay
in the same amount of time that one essay would be pretty impressive, you'd
have time to proof read, spell check, change areas etc...

Pretty poor example but you get the idea.

Find one and stay focused on it.

When the idea becomes no longer fun get some feedback, nothings more
motivational than feedback. There's going to periods were you just can't be
bothered or were it tires you out and the next task/step is soo complex you
procrastinate for weeks, you have to identify this and the fact that it
happens and push forward.

On thing i do, it's pretty weird, start with really small tasks and build up
til' you're in a productive state. (do the dishes, reply to emails, make
breakfast lol) When it comes to the hard part (opening up the code editor and
getting started) what i do is kinda' go consciously unconscious, you phase out
everything, the task, every thought in your head (you might even go light
headed), complete yet forced zen and just start coding, when you "regain
consciousness" you'll have already started the task and it will be less of a
mountain.

And prioritise.

I'm currently at university, in my first year, working on my new start up.
It's more important than university to me, i haven't been a class all term and
only about 2/3 lectures this term because i'd rather be designing/programming.
My priorities are with my idea not with this degree, i have a load of other
ideas and what i'll learn from this start up with help me with the others
later on.

Just shelve the ok ideas and push forward with that one idea you love the
most.

D

------
mapster
Good question. Imagine you are the owner of a franchise you admire (i.e
1800-GOT-JUNK). Could you build it and keep it successful?

The issue we face is that our 'ideas' are entirely unproved, while a franchise
is proven, so while there is risk, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I think the absence of a 'light' allows us to drop a 'idea' and pick up
another one thinking this will be better.

~~~
bry
I think you hit the nail on the head. So do I just need to take that risk with
some idea that _may_ work, rather than keep thinking about other cool ideas
that also _may_ work? I'm willing to risk/invest the time. Its just tough to
stay focused.

~~~
JonathanWCurd
Also maybe join up with a start-up group or other entrepreneurs in your area
to keep you motivated and to share your successes, failures, and concerns. A
support group can go a long way.

------
zavulon
A good way to stay focused is to quit your job and put yourself in a position
where you have to make money in order to survive. Then it's going to be very
easy for you to decide what to focus on.

Disclaimer: this is what I did, wouldn't recommend it to everyone, YMMV,
etc...

~~~
bry
Man, I wish I could. I have no savings, a wife, and four kids who depend on a
steady salary. You're probably right, and maybe that would be the best thing
to do... but I just can't take that leap yet. That's essentially why I work
4-5 hours every evening in addition to my day job - to have some glimmer of
hope of being able to some day build something that takes off enough to allow
me to leave this place.

~~~
gawker
Definitely don't go the route of quitting especially if you have children and
a family to support.

Personally for me, what I did was talk about my idea with a cousin of mine. He
got really interested in it and now we're working together on it. I would
recommend talking to other people (your wife, your kids, your friends, etc)
about your idea and see if you can get them excited. I did - and I got even
more excited to hear their excitement.

Also, always try to set goals. Both long term and short term. When you see
that you are achieving those short term goals, you'll feel like you've
accomplished something and sooner or later, hopefully it'll snowball. Good
luck!

~~~
mapster
I think its a fallacy that if you quit your job you will have a do or die
mentality.

If you don't have a plan, a proven business, or clients, then the probability
of you spinning your wheels and going broke is very good.

~~~
gawker
Yes, a lot of people love the rags to riches story and it makes for good
entertainment value. But really the key is your mind and determination to
succeed .. and perhaps a greater purpose other than yourself.

------
minhajuddin
I am an entrepreneur and I have run into a similar situation a number of times
( I have about 2-3 partially complete apps lying dormant ). I think this is a
problem you face when you haven't had a single successful product _shipped_.
Sure, you might have built a few partially-complete apps, but you haven't
_shipped_ anything yet. So your brain starts playing tricks on you, you'll
think that your _next_ idea has a _better_ shot at _success_ and that's how
you lose interest.

One way to overcome this is: When you have a new idea, 1) Come up with a bare
minimum list of features. 2) Give yourself a week or two weeks time to finish
it. 3) Once you are done release a free beta and get customer feedback.

The point of this whole exercise being _to reduce the window of work to a
short period_ in which you can stay focused. Think of it as some kind of a
_minimum viable product_
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_viable_product>).

Hope that helps.

------
JonathanWCurd
Push yourself to stay focused. Do somethings you like and some things you
don't each day so that you are not faced with a giant list of things you don't
want to do.

Also make sure your not just looking for an excuse to not launch. Tackle
something small, get it done and get it out. Then rinse and repeat. "You miss
100% of the shots you don't take."

------
HeyLaughingBoy
Feedback from a real customer.

Nothing has ever given me more focus and motivation that someone saying, "I
would pay for that." Especially if it's someone who has paid me for things in
the past.

------
fjw
Focus on a project that you love: one that you truly support and one that you
truly believe in. If you're 100% devoted to a cause, it will be much easier to
continue pushing on even when it is no longer "fun". Remind yourself why you
started, what you have achieved along the way, and what you still hope to
achieve. Then just work towards achieving your goals - no matter how big or
how small. Once again, if you're completely devoted, you'll take pride in your
gains and this should keep you motivated.

------
vondip
wow, it's as if you just read my mind and wrote it down here. Do you live in
Israel by any chance?

~~~
Kibo
Same here

------
petervandijck
I don't.

