Paul Graham · 2012 · 12 min
How to Get Startup Ideas
Don't try to think of startup ideas. Notice them — by being at the leading edge of a fast-changing field.
Key Takeaways
- 01The best ideas look unattractive on the surface. That's why nobody else is doing them yet.
- 02Live in the future, then build what's missing. The future is unevenly distributed — go where it's already arrived.
- 03Schlep blindness: founders avoid ideas that involve unsexy, hard work (payments, regulated industries, hardware). That's where the gold is.
- 04Look for problems where you say 'someone should build this' and you're already half-doing the workaround.
Distilled
Most YC founders have read this twice and still ignore it. The trap is brainstorming: founders sit in a room and try to 'think of an idea.' Real ideas come from being deep in a domain and noticing the friction.
PG's filter: organic ideas (you have the problem yourself) > made-up ideas. The reason is information asymmetry — you can tell which features matter and which are noise. Made-up ideas force you to guess.
Concrete heuristic: write down 3 things that pissed you off this week. Then ask: is anyone solving this? If yes, why does it still suck? If no, why not? You'll usually find a real opportunity in there.
Source
paulgraham.com — How to Get Startup Ideas →We summarize so you can decide whether to read the full piece. Always read the source for context.