mikkokaar.dev

5 Question Self-Discovery Framework

Use this framework to improve your existing business or use it as a basis for picking the next opportunity to go after. Answers are mine, delete them. :)

What have I enjoyed in the past? (these are your desires, the things you want)

  • Building stuff & focus. When I’ve put a whole day into something, damn that has felt good.
  • Interacting with users. Getting email from users, feedback, reviews. Replying to reviews and emails.
  • Seeing something work and get traction

Disliked in the past? (these are your pains, the things you hate)

  • The corporate stuff. Meetings, meetings, endless, meaningless meetings.
  • Driving to a customer and the customer cancels because whatever.
  • Stuff that goes nowhere no matter how much effort I put in
  • Sales work and trying to sell my stuff, especially if to the wrong people
  • Cold calls. Publishing. Putting myself out there.
  • Not getting feedback from users or customers
  • Not knowing what people think
  • Not having analytics
  • Not having clarity or a clear path forward
  • Not having a clear north star
  • Working on something that doesn’t tie into my sense of purpose and meaning

Lately very excited about? (these make you tick)

  • AI agents, for whatever reason
  • When the computer does my work and I can oversee it

What am I capable at? (this hints at where you can be useful to other people)

  • Reframing, thinking, problem solving
  • Creating software

Where am I not the best at? (and here, you’ll either need to hire help, get better at, or just be willing to suck at)

  • Graphic design
  • Content generation unless the topic interests me deeply

If you’re running an existing show. Look at your answers. How would you decrease the amount of what you dislike and increase the amount of stuff you like?

If you’re looking to start a new business. Take a tally, answer the questions and actually write down your answers

Then come up with a list of business models that would let you do the things you enjoy without the pains you hate. Then come up with a list of potential markets. Then with a list of problems in that market.

If you yourself are part of the market, all the better, and if you personally experience a problem, even more the better.