Don’t Get Lost in the Whirl of Ideas

My solo journey has lasted seven months, and it has influenced me greatly. The way I think has changed, but sometimes I can’t believe these are my thoughts. I often notice they differ significantly from what I’ve thought for most of my life.

I recently posted a reply in one of the friendliest communities I’ve encountered. We build apps, celebrate successes, and learn from mistakes. After reviewing my reply, I thought: wow, this is exactly what I need now. Autumn depression and current circumstances are not ideal, but that’s today’s advice to myself.

I feel the need to adapt the original content to fit a wider audience, but these are minor changes.

I don’t know what anyone should do—like everyone else in this world. Nobody can predict what we should do. Please don’t treat other people’s stories and suggestions as instructions; they are not. However, they are not worthless. They are examples you may choose to adapt, reject, remix, or build upon.

This week, I received my first subscription. This means someone paid real money to me. I can’t know for sure, but I think this was an act of support. Regardless of the reasons, I am grateful for this milestone, as these are my first earnings from a mobile app.

Another user suggested many changes and offered feedback. While I appreciated the interest and implemented several improvements, I said “NO” to a few more complex suggestions. For a long time it has been hard for me. And I know I’m not alone in this struggle. Saying no is challenging, and hearing no can be upsetting. But in reality - it’s fine.

You Know Better

I’m not sure which book it was, but I remember the lesson: users (customers) do not always know what they need. It is crucial to understand the problem you’re trying to solve, but that may not immediately suggest the best solution.

Spending hours solving a problem makes you an expert. Suggest, explain, and educate. Don’t assume someone else knows better. Their experience might fit, but it could also lead you down a misleading path.

Here’s the important distinction: I wasn’t making an app to make a clone of existing one. I was building a tool to support a system I’ve been using for a while. I know it’s hard, and it’s not for everyone, but the world is vast, and there might be someone else who’d appreciate it.

Focus Scheduler

I’ve spent months developing this app, carefully considering decisions. It was tempting to adapt solutions from various to-do apps, but I knew what I wanted. I was the first customer of my own application, and I wanted the freedom to choose. That’s why every new day starts blank.

There are no recurring events. There are no long-term plans. Those things don’t work. I believe focus scheduling is a personal matter; it shouldn’t be shared or made publicly available.

It’s your day. It’s your life. Question everything. Adapt and change until you’re happy with your life.

Say It Straight

Solving problems or helping people is commendable. But people-pleasing is not, even in business, even when money is involved.

I recall an example from my time as a co-owner of a small retail business. While chatting with a client, I was overly pleasant, explaining that we were addressing the issue with faulty equipment he had bought. I assured him everyone was doing their best. But he wasn’t the only one with a problem, and we couldn’t fix it immediately. I received several arguments in response.

Then, I changed my tone and said, “According to the law, we have three more weeks to fix it. We are working on it.” This shift changed everything immediately. I received a “now we’re talking” reply, and they became one of my regular customers until I left the company.

When you believe in something, it might be necessary to give it space and time to grow. Chasing immediate acceptance can be tempting, but sometimes we need to educate and build our customers. I don’t see this topic often enough these days, but I believe it’s what makes any business better.