Analysis Paralysis: 0, Doing Stuff: 1

Finding Ideas Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds

If you’ve ever tried brainstorming startup ideas, you’ve probably heard the advice: “Just list your problems and pick one to solve.” Sounds simple, right? Well, it’s not. I set myself a goal to come up with three ideas every day, but after four days, I only had a handful—and most of them didn’t feel like the next big thing.

That’s when I realized: the goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. I was getting dangerously close to analysis paralysis, so I decided to stop overthinking and pick one idea to move forward with. The most important thing for me was to take action and start learning.

My Initial Ideas

Here are the five ideas I came up with during my brainstorming challenge:

1. Automating Remote Job Applications: A tool that automates applying for remote software engineering jobs. Users upload a CV, configure settings, and the tool applies for jobs daily while sending reports.

2. GringoPaisa: A Medellín-focused guide for expats with tips on culture, dating, activities, and trips.

3. Keto and Bodybuilding Recipes: A platform for video recipes catering to keto enthusiasts and bodybuilders.

4. YNAB Automation Tool: A system to automate transaction entry and categorization in the YNAB budgeting app.

5. Music Discovery and Playlists: A service to help users find niche-specific music (e.g., aggressive hip-hop for gym workouts).

Each of these ideas solved a real problem, but they varied in complexity, market potential, and personal relevance.

Why I Chose Automating Remote Job Applications

In the end, I went with automating remote job applications for a few reasons:

1. It Solves a Problem I Understand:

As a software engineer, I’ve spent hours manually applying for remote jobs. It’s frustrating, repetitive, and a huge time sink. I’d gladly pay for a tool that automates the process, and I’m confident others would too.

2. Ambition with a Purpose:

The idea isn’t easy—it involves technical challenges, platform compatibility, and potentially ethical concerns. But that’s exactly why it excites me. I wanted to tackle a real problem, not just build another side project that’s easy to dismiss.

3. Learning the Indie Hacking Process:

This isn’t just about launching a product. My primary goal is to practice indie hacking: validating the idea, building an MVP, marketing, and gathering feedback. Tackling a meaningful problem will make the learning process even more valuable.

4. A Win-Win Outcome:

Even if the tool never becomes a commercial success, it’s still a win for me personally. If all it does is automate my own job applications, it’ll save me time and frustration—mission accomplished.

The Takeaway: Start Before You Feel Ready

If I’d waited for the perfect idea, I’d still be brainstorming. Instead, I chose to dive into a real problem and start building. This isn’t about creating the “next big thing”; it’s about taking action, learning through experiments, and improving with every step.

So, if you’re stuck in analysis paralysis, here’s my advice: pick an idea—any idea that resonates with you—and start. It’s better to make progress on something imperfect than to wait forever for something flawless. You’ll learn more by doing than by overthinking.