Welcome to Issue #009 of SoloLIVE! Each week, I’ll share practical tips to streamline your solo business, right from my desk, to help you escape the grind and create a life on your terms.
A Universal Stuck Point
You know the pattern. You stare at your “perfect” business roadmap, realizing you have changed it ten times but launched nothing new. Reworking the blueprint feels productive, but underneath, you are circling the same exit ramp trying to break free from your 9-5. Most solo founders will admit this quietly. Planning feels easy, but taking action is where the real challenge begins.
Why Now? The Urgency to Get Moving
Leaving traditional work is no longer just a trendy dream. Unpredictable economies and new AI tools make solo business both urgent and achievable. The catch is, most people use AI to make more plans, not more progress. DIY roadmaps keep growing, but results stay flat. If your business blueprint leaves you overwhelmed, not clear, it is time to rethink your approach.
The Real Roadmap Trap
Solo creators rarely lack ideas. What happens is we drown in them. Overthinking shows up as elaborate plans, endless “what if” scenarios, and projects never getting off the digital whiteboard. You might map out every step, but your calendar paints a different picture. Weeks pass, launches stall, and momentum fades. AI sometimes becomes just another tool for endless planning, instead of execution and results.
Ali Abdaal’s Turnaround: From Over-Planner to Ship-First
Ali Abdaal, who moved from medicine to full-time creator, openly shared how easy it was to hide in “optimized roadmaps.” He built complex plans using tech stacks, productivity apps, and plenty of AI. But launches slowed down, courses sat unfinished, and seeking the “perfect system” became a comfort zone. The real turning point arrived when he chose to use AI for enforcing priorities instead of more analysis. GPT tools simplified his workflow and Notion AI helped turn goals into specific daily actions so he could track real results, not just checked boxes. The lesson Ali shares is clear. Your momentum comes from doing, not planning alone. When you combine AI with a commitment to launching, your business starts to move.
From Overwhelm to Action: Your AI Roadmap Recipe
Take these steps to escape the roadmap trap:
Pinpoint your top solo goals. These could be revenue, product launch, or audience growth.
Use AI (Notion AI, ChatGPT, or similar) to break goals into milestones and order the most important steps.
Set up daily micro-actions that AI can nudge and track for you.
Review your progress every week. Focus on what you shipped, not just what you planned.
Bonus step: Ask AI to simplify your roadmap. Have it suggest only three core actions and cut the rest.
Try This Today: Your Fastest Way Out
Write down your exit goal.
Plug it into Notion AI or a GPT-powered task manager.
Let AI organize your first three milestones.
Commit to one small action each day. Track it, celebrate it, and let AI help you adjust your course.
After one week, compare what you shipped to how much time you spent on planning.
Seven-Day Solo Challenge: Ship It, Don’t Just Plan It
Give yourself permission to launch something simple this week: a landing page, a post, or an offer. Let your AI roadmap guide you, not hold you back. Focus on small wins, because stacking those up is how you move forward.
That’s all for today. See you next week.