The Search for Ideas

I’ve been working on a project of late, but sometimes I’m wondering how likely that idea and project will become worthy of starting a company with. After reading Paul Graham’s article on Ideas for Startups, I realize the search for ideas has to be something constant–I have to be constantly asking questions of things in life, finding problems and inefficiencies–at least until I find something that I think is viable to work with in the longer term.

I also just came across this article on The New York Times about a start-up that rents college textbooks. It’s incredible how such an obvious inefficiency that’s plain for all to see can be the spark for such a successful start-up. We’re often blind to such glaring problems. Don’t get me wrong, we surely notice the inefficiency, just that we try to ignore it, try to get around it and get on with our lives because it would be painful to dwell on every single problem like that since there are an uncountable number out there.

In a way, it’s harder to see problems than their solutions. Most people prefer to remain in denial about problems. It’s obvious why: problems are irritating. They’re problems! Imagine if people in 1700 saw their lives the way we’d see them. It would have been unbearable. This denial is such a powerful force that, even when presented with possible solutions, people often prefer to believe they wouldn’t work.

- Paul Graham

I’ll be looking for these problems now, and when I find them, asking the right questions about why they are problems, and asking the right questions on how to solve them. Hopefully this will get me started on something worthwhile.