Recently, I finished reading Hackers and Painters by PG, so this is going to be blunt, but helpful. You are warned.<p>There is absolutely no surefire way to guarantee that your side-project will ever be anything more than a hobby that pays for
itself. But there are some surefire ways to guarantee that you'll get to failure sooner rather than later.<p><i></i>1. Building something in the latest and greatest tech and then trying to find a problem it solves.<i></i><p>Don't do this. I see it too often, especially on Indie Hackers. This is a <i>Rube Goldberg</i> way of trying to accomplish your end goal and will lead most likely to frustration and burnout.<p>2. Your idea doesn't solve a problem.<p>Pivot. Come up with an idea that solves a problem. Preferably a problem you have.<p><i></i>3. You're not passionate about what you're doing.<i></i><p>Be honest with yourself. Really honest. Can you imagine working on
this the next 5-10 years? If not, don't waste time on it now. Spare
yourself the misery.<p><i></i>4. We're going to be first-to-market!<i></i><p>Unless you want to scoop up some early adopters, being first to market only indicates that there <i>might not actually</i> be a market for what you're doing.<p><i></i>5. If I build it, they will come.<i></i><p>No they won't. They really won't. This ties back to #1.<p><i></i>6. I want to be my own boss.<i></i><p>Running a startup is the most brutally demanding work you will ever do. It is 10x easier to be a drone for a corporation; maybe 100x easier if
it's a regional co.<p><i></i>7. I'm afraid to ________<i></i><p>You cannot be scared. Not of rejection, failure, embarrassment,
ridicule by your peers, ridicule from the world, etc. Being a leader
isn't easy and your mettle needs to be unbreakable, unflinching, and
unquestionable.
--<p>That's all of the harsh truth that I can muster for now. Even though I don't know you, I want you to succeed.