Make Something People Already Do Easier

People often say they want to do many good things. They may want better health or more time with friends. But their words do not always match their daily actions. The article says product builders should pay attention to this difference. A person may like an idea but never use the product. A positive answer alone does not show that someone needs it.

Instead, look for something people already do and find useful. Then ask what makes that activity slow, hard, or expensive. The article argues that this is a common route to success. The product keeps the useful activity but removes an existing problem. People do not have to start with a completely new habit. They can get a familiar benefit with less trouble or effort.

The article gives several examples to explain this main idea. Before WhatsApp, people sent costly text messages to family members overseas. Staying in touch was useful, but those messages cost too much. Uber addressed another activity that people were already trying to do. People used phones to arrange car journeys around their cities. Explaining their location and knowing when a car would arrive were difficult.

These examples begin with an activity, a benefit, and a problem. Builders can use those three parts to understand a product idea. What are people doing, and why does it help them? What stops them from doing it easily or comfortably now? The discussion also asks whether every successful product fits this pattern. Still, its central advice is to examine real behaviour before trusting praise.