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If you want to start a startup one day, what should you do now? How do you come up with the best startup ideas? Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator, has some straightforward advice.
First, you need two things: an idea and cofounders. Surprisingly, Graham suggests that you shouldn't try to think of startup ideas consciously. If you force yourself to think of startup ideas, you'll likely come up with ideas that are not only bad but also plausible-sounding. These ideas can be deceiving, leading you and others to waste time before realizing they're no good.
Instead, the key is to turn your brain into one that generates startup ideas unconsciously. The best startup ideas often start as side projects—things that weren't even supposed to be companies at first. For instance, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and Apple all began this way. These companies started as projects that their founders worked on out of interest, not as deliberate attempts to create a business.
Graham advises focusing on three things to cultivate this mindset:
Learn a lot about things that matter. Immerse yourself in areas that genuinely interest you and are significant. This broad knowledge base can help you spot opportunities that others might miss.
Work on problems that interest you. Passion drives creativity. If you're working on something that fascinates you, you're more likely to come up with innovative solutions.
Work with people you like and respect. This is crucial for finding cofounders. The people you enjoy collaborating with and respect are the best potential partners for your startup.
By following this advice, you can develop a mindset that naturally generates startup ideas and builds strong teams to pursue them. Starting a side project with friends and exploring interesting problems can lead to unexpected and groundbreaking innovations. This organic approach is how many of the most successful startups began, and it could be your path to creating something remarkable too.
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