Working on a side project is incredibly fun in the early days. You come up with an idea, build something, ship it, and experience the best feeling. The excitement of creating something of your own and building what you envision is unique and enjoyable.
But after a certain point, the excitement drops. The process doesn't feel fun anymore. Why?
You're working on the same idea, you have all the ownership, and everything is almost the same. So, why does this happen?
It's because of the ugly work!
Think of it this way. You've been planning a trip for the past 6 months and it's finally happening. You're excited, everything is booked, your itinerary is ready, you've done all the shopping, but now you have to pack. Unfortunately, you can’t have a fun trip without thoughtful packing, and no one else can do that for you! My metaphor might not be perfect, but I've never met anyone who loves packing.
So, my point is, for every project or endeavor to succeed, there’s always an "ugly" part that has to be done. While you're building your product, project, or working on your idea, to make it a success, this ugly part has to be addressed.
In terms of a software product, you need to understand what your users want and keep building around it. However, finding out what users want might not be the most fun part for you. Talking to users, conducting user research, taking feedback, and reading between the lines are not very exciting. But doing these tasks will make sure your product remains exciting and successful. These are the less glamorous parts that will ultimately make you successful.
When we started building Peerlist, the excitement of shipping something we loved kept us going initially. We enjoyed building features and seeing them come to life. But you can’t build a successful product if you become a feature factory. Understanding users, their needs, and building around those needs will keep your users happy.
It’s similar to content creation: you need to create content, understand your audience, and then keep adjusting your content accordingly. Else, no one will watch or care about your content!
Not all of us enjoy this part. Accepting that your decision or idea might not be right and then building according to someone else’s requirements can feel difficult initially. It’s like working for a boss without knowing who the boss is 😅.
But trust me, these challenging parts will make you successful. These may seem unattractive at first, but once you commit, they can become the most rewarding tasks. Whether you like it or not, force yourself to do that uninteresting work just like you would force workouts in the early days. They might not be fun at first, but they will become fun, and that is what will make you win!
This is one of those hard things I’ve learned (or am still learning) as a founder. :)
Yup, totally understand