Founder of Y Combinator Paul Graham on how from the old idea make a new

The most valuable ideas are all-inclusive and amazing at the same time. For example, Newton's second law: F = ma. But comprehensive and surprising is a complex combination. Usually all the fruits from this tree have already been collected, precisely because these ideas are so valuable.

As a rule, the best that people can think of is one without another: either surprising, but not comprehensive (for example, rumors), or comprehensive, but not surprising (for example, platitudes).

Things become interesting if they contain moderately valuable information. This can be achieved by making small additions depending on what quality is missing.

The more common case is a small addition to the all-embracing: a piece of gossip that is more than just gossip, because it teaches something interesting about the world.

And another less common approach is to focus on the most common ideas and see if you can tell something new about them. Because these ideas are so universal, you will only need a small delta of novelty to provide useful information.

A small delta of novelty is all that you can achieve in most cases. This means that if you follow this path, your thoughts will appear similar to those that already exist.

Sometimes you will realize that you just came up with an idea that already exists. But do not despair. Remember the huge multiplier that works when you manage to come up with something a little bit new.

Conclusion: the more general ideas you express, the less you need to worry about repeating yourself. If you write enough, it is inevitable. Your brain does not change too much over the years, nor does the stimulus that affects it.

I get a little upset when I realize that I said something close to what I said earlier, as if it's a plagiarism of myself. But from a rational point of view, this is not so. You will not say something exactly the same words a second time, and these variations increase the chances that you will find this tiny, but critically important delta of novelty.

And, of course, ideas generate ideas. The idea with a small amount of novelty can lead to another, in which the novelty will be greater. But only if you keep looking. Therefore, it is doubly important not to let yourself go, when people say that there is nothing new in your discovery.

"Not so much new" is a real achievement, if we talk about the most common ideas. Perhaps, continuing the way, you will discover more.

It's not true that there is nothing new under the sun. Yes, in some areas there is almost nothing new. But between nothing and almost nothing there is a huge difference, if multiplied by the whole world.