How Do You Come Up With an Idea? (Hint: You Already know)

We hear it all the time: “I want to start something, but I just don’t have an idea.”

Whether it’s starting a business, launching a product, creating content, or building something from scratch, it all begins with one thing: the idea.

But here’s the truth—ideas don’t just fall from the sky. They’re created, discovered, nurtured. And more often than not, they’re already inside you, waiting to be pulled out, shaped, and acted on.

So if you’re stuck, staring at a blank page or just spinning your wheels, this blog post will walk you through exactly how to come up with an idea—and how to turn it into something that moves people, solves problems, and (maybe) makes you money.

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🎯 Step 1: Start With a Real Problem

The best ideas solve real problems. Not imaginary ones.

Ask yourself:

• What frustrates me daily?
• What takes longer than it should?
• What do I wish existed?

People don’t pay for products. They pay for solutions.
Your annoyance is someone else’s unmet need.

Examples:

• Struggle to remember important dates? → Reminder app.
• Hate complicated budgeting tools? → Build a simple one.
• Can’t find furniture that fits small apartments? → Curate and sell some.

Wakewall Tip: Keep a “Problem Log” in your Wakewall profile. Jot down small annoyances you notice in your day. They’re gold mines.

For more information on ideas, check out these pages below:

• 50 Ways to Sell Your Ideas & Make Money: Thoughts Into Income
• Wakewall Seller’s Guide for Online Marketplaces
• Smart Hustles & Side Income Strategies Guide to Earning More

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🧠 Step 2: Pay Attention to Patterns

Ideas often live in the patterns we ignore.

Look at:

• What people keep asking you for help with
• What tools you keep using in your own way
• What types of videos, products, or content you binge on

What do you keep circling back to, even when you’re not trying?

Examples:

• Do friends always ask for your advice on organizing their life?
• Do you constantly redesign your space?
• Are you always writing scripts in your head?

These patterns are clues. Your brain has already chosen a direction—you just haven’t noticed yet.

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💬 Step 3: Listen to What People Complain About

Some of the most profitable ideas come from other people venting.

What do people say when they:

• Get annoyed by a brand or experience?
• Complain about their job, their tools, or daily life?
• Say “I wish someone would just…”?

Example Sources:

• Reddit threads (especially niche communities)
• Amazon reviews (1–3 stars = feature gaps)
• Facebook groups
• TikTok comment sections
• Twitter rants

The world is literally handing you idea inspiration—all you have to do is listen with curiosity.

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🛠 Step 4: Remix, Don’t Reinvent

You don’t need a brand-new idea. You need a better, simpler, cheaper, faster, or funnier version of an existing one.

Try combining two concepts:

• Uber + Laundry = Laundry pickup service
• AI + Podcasting = Tool that creates show notes
• TikTok + Journaling = App for 60-second reflection videos

Ask:

• Can I simplify an overcomplicated solution?
• Can I make something niche-specific?
• Can I take a trend and give it a new spin?

Most successful businesses are improved copies, not original inventions.

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🎨 Step 5: Let Your Curiosity Lead

Sometimes, the best ideas don’t come from problems—they come from play.

• What topic makes you lose time when researching it?
• What hobby would you explore all day if you didn’t need money?
• What would you build for fun if no one else ever saw it?

Curiosity is a gateway to passion. Passion is a gateway to ideas.

Even if it’s “just for you,” ideas that energize you tend to attract others when shared.

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🔁 Step 6: Iterate Until It Clicks

The first idea usually isn’t the one that works. But it leads to the one that does.

Try this process:

1. Write down 10 bad ideas a day. (Force quantity > quality)
2. Pick 3 and turn them into headlines or product titles.
3. Share them with a friend or post anonymously online.
4. Observe what excites you and what sparks interest in others.
5. Refine. Repeat.

Think of ideas as experiments. Some will fail. The point is to keep going.

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✏️ Tools That Help You Ideate Faster

Use your environment to feed your creativity.

Journals & Prompts

• “What’s a recent frustration I had?”
• “What’s something people constantly get wrong?”
• “If I could wave a magic wand and fix one thing, what would it be?”

Apps

• Wakewall: Capture ideas, tag them, track reminders, and organize by niche
• Trello: Board-style idea management
• Notion: Great for building idea databases
• Voice Notes: When you’re on the go—record your rants

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🚀 Bonus: How Wakewall Helps You Capture and Build on Your Ideas

The biggest mistake isn’t “not having ideas.” It’s losing them.

Wakewall helps you:

• Capture every idea in a personal or public wall
• Organize by tags, topics, or business potential
• Add photos, product titles, or links to inspiration
• Set reminders to revisit, test, or share them
• Turn your idea list into a visible track record of creativity

Whether you’re launching a side hustle, creating content, or building a brand, Wakewall turns your random thoughts into a system for real progress.

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🧩 Final Thought: You Don’t Find Ideas—You Uncover Them

You don’t need a genius moment. You just need to:

• Stay curious
• Stay observant
• Keep creating
• And keep recording

Because the idea isn’t the hard part. It’s what you do with it that matters.

And you already have more than you think.