One of the most common things I have observed with aspiring founders is that they have too many ideas that they want to pursue. They want to build this, launch that, explore every opportunity they come across keeping a dozen possibilities alive at the same time.

The interesting thing is that most people think the problem is lack of ideas. In reality, the problem is usually the pressure they are putting themselves to find the perfect one.

They want an idea that is unique, scalable, profitable, exciting and guaranteed to succeed. They want certainty before they’ve even started. Unfortunately, that’s not how startup ideas work.

One mistake people make is assuming that startup ideas come from some special place, I don’t know where. Haha. They imagine themselves having breakthrough moments where a brilliant idea suddenly appears out of nowhere.

From what I’ve observed, startup ideas can come from almost anywhere. They can come from a problem you’ve personally experienced. They can come from something you’ve noticed repeatedly in your industry. They can come from a hobby, a passion, a conversation or even an inconvenience that most people have simply accepted as normal.

But, I believe, the source does not matter! What matters is the problem underneath it and how will you execute it.

Since I have entered the startup ecosystem, I’ve met many founders who become attached to an idea long before they understood whether anyone actually needed it.

They fall in love with the concept. They imagine the product. They picture the future. Then they spend months building something only to discover that very few people are willing to pay for it.

The issue is not that the idea was bad but they started with the solution instead of the problem.

When founders ask me about their startup ideas, one of the first things I want to understand is what problem they’re solving and how real that problem actually is. Because a great idea without meaningful problem behind it is often just a thought that you find interesting.

One of the worst places to look for startup ideas is by looking at what everyone else is doing. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t study businesses or learn from successful founders. You absolutely should.

But there’s a difference between leaning from someone else’s journey and trying to copy someone else’s idea. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure you might not be but I’ve seen people scroll through startup news, get excited with someone else’s idea and immediately start looking for way to build a similar version of it.

The problem is that they’re looking at the outcome rather than the reason the business exists. They’re seeing the product not the problem that created the opportunity for the business to exist in the first place.

I always say this, “what worked for someone doesn’t mean it is going to work for you.” So, simply copying an idea will get you nowhere.

Wait! If you don’t have an idea, don’t rush yourself. don’t be in a rush to build something just because everyone else is. Just keep doing whatever is it that you’re doing and keep your eyes and ears open.

I think many people are rushing into ideas far too quickly. There’s a strange pressure, especially now, with the startup hype, to come up with the next best idea possible. Why?!

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is to slow down. Observe. Pay attention. Learn. and Experience more of the world. I believe startup ideas are discovered, not found. The more curious you are about people, industries and problems, the more likely you are to discover opportunities that others miss.

The worst thing you can do is force an idea simply because you’re running out of patience to get started.

There’s one more thing – not every idea needs to become a startup. Not every business opportunity needs to become the next high-growth venture-backed company.

As we’ve explored in the difference between startup and business, not every business is designed to scale rapidly. Some ideas are better suited to becoming profitable businesses; some could become startup and some aren’t worth pursuing at all.

If I could give one piece of advice to aspiring founders, I would be to not rush into finding an idea and that let the idea find you. that doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for inspiration. It means paying attention to the problems, frustrations and opportunities that already exist around you.

And when an idea does appear, don’t assume it’s the best one. do you research; talk to people; understand the problem and validate your assumptions through building an MVP that doesn’t cost you a lot of money.

If you’re a founder who is spending too much time searching for startup ideas and not paying enough time and attention to the problems, you’re will never be able to build anything substantial.

Because startup ideas can literally come from anywhere. They can emerge from your experiences, your observations, your work or your interests. You as a founder should not focus on where the idea comes from, you should focus on solving a meaningful problem.

I get it, it is tempting from the outside to be chasing ideas, trends and every opportunity that seems successful but many of the reasons startups struggle later on can be traced back to an idea that never had a clear plan to begin with before they start building.