Advice for a beginner indie hacker
As a beginner indie developer i found it really hard to make something out of nothing on your own. Especially I start to loose my motivation after working couple of days on the project. As I start to work on the project I find out other people doing the same thing. And at that moment I start to think about doing something different or just moving on.
I would love to hear all of your advices )
Check out some of the advice and the posts here. There's some really good stuff. Generally, I like to consume advice, stories, and talks from other indie hackers often. It's powerful motivation, and it's educational as well.
Don't worry so much about whether other people have done what you're doing. 99.99% of successful companies are "doing the same thing" as others, or at least solving the same problems. The list of problems that customers find valuable enough to pay money for is much shorter than you think. I like to say: pick a boring problem, but then provide a creative solution.
On that note, start with a problem, not a solution. This is a big one! Most indie hackers start by getting excited about a product and its features, build a bunch of stuff, then go around looking for customers who might think it's useful. This is akin to crafting a key and then searching the world for the right keyhole. It rarely works and the process is extremely unfun. Start with a keyhole, take its measurements, and then craft the perfect key. In this analogy, the "keyhole" would be a market of a specific type of person, that you can reach through a specific channel, who all face a specific problem, that they find valuable enough to pay for, that you are capable of helping to solve, and that you find interesting.
If you don't know what's interesting, make it your next task to learn more about yourself. It's a fun exercise and quite useful if you want to build a business you actually enjoy running.
Keep notes on things you've learned, mistakes you've made. This whole thing is a learning process, and many people take far too long to learn because they're just stuck in a loop of repeating the same mistakes. The easiest way to break out of that loop is to be deliberate about avoiding the mistakes you've made in the past.
Find a partner. If you're having motivation issues, there's nothing quite like extrinsic motivation, accountability to someone else, etc. It's also just a great way to meet people, build a network, learn from others, and create better projects bc you have someone who complements your skills.
omg, thank you so much for the advice. I'll definitely check out the resources you mentioned.
The problem with my mindset is that I always wanted to stand out from the crowd. And that mindset is stuck with me.
Nothing wrong with standing out. Solve a boring problem, but create a unique and innovative solution!
This comment was deleted 6 years ago
Thanks for sharing. I think you have to always remember that this path is not easy. For me, the hardest thing I have ever done. However it is weirdly addictive. There are certainly lows, but also when you hit on something, you can get great highs.
Focus on your goals. Do you want to make a lot of money? Maybe a lifestyle business? How much would you need to support yourself? This can help determine what you are happy working on.
Work through Courtland's questions to ask yourself before starting, this will help you find something that you can be truly motivated to work on.
Listen back to as many of the IH podcasts as you can. It is an amazing resource to help you on this path. In the early days, I think it is ok to try many things, but once you hit on something, you need to stick with it and keep on going.
And btw... you have the most valuable commodity in the world (youth). Learn as much as you can and, work hard and you will get there.
Good luck!
thank you for the advice )
Find something you are passionate about, it’s the only way you’ll be able to muster the enthusiasm and motivation needed to grind it out.
Don’t worry about whether or not the idea is original; focus on execution.
The market will always let you know how right, or wrong, you are.
Good luck!
The thing is that I am passionate about what I am doing. But it’s hard to keep it going without losing motivation and desire
That’s the trick, my friend. Every time I think I know the definition of ‘perseverance’ it gets redefined.
The pain of not doing it has to be greater than the pain of doing it.
Success is not for the meek. Dig deep. Deeper than you ever have with anything you’ve ever done, knowing that you still might fail.
You’re not alone. Indie Hackers is chock full of others that exhibit courage and stamina and are not scared to fail. Take some comfort in knowing that. It will help you through the grind.