"I don't know what to make!" - Every budding developer ever
I'm sure these words have spurted out of your mouth when trying to come up with new coding project ideas at some point. Probably accompanied by "I can't come up with ideas" and "I'm not an idea person".
But let me tell you this - You are an idea person.
Everyone is an idea person, and every developer can come up with a whole boatload of coding project ideas.
The problem is, there are two types of idea people; conscious idea people and unconscious idea people, and the majority of developers, especially budding and junior developers, fall under the latter.
But it's OK! Becoming a conscious idea person - a conscious thinker is something that anyone can do.
How to come up with coding project ideas
1. Decide that you are going to be a conscious idea person
This is the most important step. Start every new endeavour with a positive affirmation - "I will become a conscious idea person".
2. Train yourself to think consciously
Train to catch yourself mid-thought and realise that the noise going on in your head, isn't actually noise, but a goldmine of budding ideas.
This is the hardest step and will probably take a bit of practice, but is well worth the effort.
While you are walking around, on the train or sitting on a park bench consciously take note of, and observe what you are thinking.
3. Notice your budding ideas
Note how I say "notice budding ideas" and not "come up with ideas". You are already coming up with them, you just aren't noticing them.
They usually come in the form of "it would be nice if...", "I wish...", "if I had ... then I could ...".
When phrases like these pop into your head, notice them! These are your possible billion dollar ideas.
4. Notice dissatisfaction
Whenever you are dissatisfied, displeased, discontent - something can be improved. And that something, could be an idea.
Consciously take note of these times and you will have more seedlings to play with.
5. Write it down!
Once you have a seedling in your grasp, a budding idea or a dissatisfaction, write it down.
I use a page in Notion to dump all of my ideas into. Even the bad ones, the boring ones, the silly ones.
The more you write down, the more potential coding project ideas you have. Even the ones that you think are no-so-great might combine or morph into something amazing.
If you forget your ideas, they are of no use to you, so write them down!
Follow these five steps and I promise that you won't struggle to come up with ideas. You might however have the opposite problem - So many ideas, that you just don't have the time to pursue them all.
Can't win them all - Sorry!
This post was originally published at my personal blog
Top comments (2)
After reading this blog, I can say, my Sunday morning started on a good note. I am always into a situation of finding an idea for my side project and end up with nothing. But I guess I can try this way! Thank you for taking out the time and noting this down.
Thank you for taking the time to read it! I'm glad you managed to get some value out of it :)
Not being able to come up with ideas is a problem a lot of people face. But, as I wrote in this post, you are coming up with ideas, you are just not taking note of them, and/or forgetting them!
Good luck!