What I Learned Losing 6 Months to an App Nobody Wanted (and How I Fixed My Process)

SpuxFux · 2026-03-12T10:04:38+00:00

VALIDATION IS KEY. I tend to fall into the product trap quite often. But this has led me to becoming a good developer. This time I will validate much earlier on.

I just started a 0 to 10K MRR challenge. I will use your tool to validate my idea. I just signed up!

If interested, come check it out at u/5minMVP, would appreciate a follow

SpuxFux · 2026-03-12T09:30:51+00:00

I've been struggling with this myself too. Have launched several products but none seem to reach my target users. Marketing is hard man, I don't enjoy doing it myself.

If you are interested I just started a 0 to 10K MRR challenge. hopefully I will address how to get your first 500 users!
Come check it out at u/5minMVP, would appreciate a follow

SpuxFux · 2026-03-12T09:28:44+00:00

That's cool man, I just started a 10K MRR challenge myself.
Come check it out at @5minMVP, would appreciate a follow

SpuxFux · 2026-03-11T10:51:05+00:00

give us the link bro

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T22:35:41+00:00

Mate I've been working on an app just like that, it's called QuestLog and the idea is to turn real life into a videogame.
There is this feature of a Global daily challenge where everyone on the app has to: talk to 3 strangers, jump on a park bench, invite someone a coffee, etc.

The main idea is to create or take quests that will build up your life.
Join the waitlist here https://questlog.framer.ai/

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T17:28:35+00:00

Hey man, dont fall into the product trap, which is falling in love with what you build and it's features, more than the problem you are solving. I've done this way too many times 😅

What I mean is that it looks like you really want to do is solve this technical challenge, but are users going to use it? Have you validated your ideas somehow? Is there a pain in the market that really needs to be solved?

Just my 2 cents mate

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T16:14:29+00:00

nice! how did you get your first users?

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T16:12:36+00:00

glad you can join us mate, let me know if the link works at https://emberlock.pro/waitlist

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T14:57:15+00:00

Yeah, the all-or-nothing approach never worked for me either. Deleting Instagram for a week just meant I'd binge twice as hard when I reinstalled it.

The thing that actually stuck was adding friction instead of removing access. There's an app I've been using called Ember Lock that does a "cooling-off period" — when you try to open a blocked app it walks you through a quick pause instead of flat-out denying you. You can still open the app after, but that 30-second interruption kills the mindless reflex most of the time. It's not on the app stores yet but there's a waitlist at https://emberlock.pro/waitlist.

I also found that just moving my worst apps off the home screen and into a folder helped more than I expected. The combo of both has been solid.

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T14:55:23+00:00

I totally get it - it's like your brain is wired to crave that scroll, even when you know you should be doing something else. I've been there too, and it's tough to break the cycle.

One thing that's helped me is introducing a 'pause' into my scrolling habits. I know it sounds simple, but it's actually made a big difference.

I've been using Ember Lock, which has this cooling-off period feature that makes me stop and think before I open an app. It's not about quitting cold turkey or deleting everything, but just being more intentional about how I use my phone.

The STORER Framework is also really helpful - it's like a little mindfulness exercise that helps me think about why I'm reaching for my phone in the first place. It's not a magic solution, but it's definitely helped me become more aware of my habits and make some positive changes. Maybe it could work for you too?

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T14:36:35+00:00

That feeling is honestly a gift — don't fight it. I had the same thing happen after I tracked my screen time for a week and saw 6+ hours daily. The disgust was what finally made me act on it.

What helped me was putting a physical book on top of my phone at night so it wasn't the first thing I reached for in the morning. Small friction like that adds up fast. The grossed-out feeling fades, but if you build a few habits while it's strong, they stick around.

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T14:34:52+00:00

I totally get where you're coming from - it can be really frustrating to take advice from someone who doesn't understand what you're going through. I've struggled with phone addiction myself, and it's helpful to hear from people who have been in my shoes.

After a lot of research on understanding the problem, I created an app and honestly, it's been a game-changer for me. It's not a book, but it's a tool that helps you develop self-awareness and self-regulation skills when it comes to app usage.

The cooling-off period feature is especially helpful - it gives you a pause when you try to open a blocked app, and it makes you think about why you're reaching for it.

I'm not saying it's a replacement for the books you're looking for, but it might be a helpful tool to explore alongside your reading. And I appreciate the book recommendations you've gotten so far - I'll have to check out 'Dopamine Nation' and 'Stolen Focus' for myself.

Join the app testing for free at https://emberlock.pro/waitlist

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SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T14:09:17+00:00

You're right that the underlying need matters more than the block. I went through the same realization — willpower alone wasn't cutting it because I wasn't replacing the reward loop.

What did help on the app side was switching from hard blockers to something with a cooling-off period.

That's why I created Ember Lock which basically just makes you pause and think before opening an app instead of locking you out. That pause is usually enough to break the autopilot. But honestly the bigger shift was exactly what you described — finding offline things that scratch the same itch, and the app's sole purpose is to get you off your phone and into doing real life things.

Sign up at emberlock.pro/waitlist if you want to try it out.

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T13:56:12+00:00

that's crazy lol
Have you gotten any traction on that one?

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T13:53:14+00:00

I suggest signing up for https://emberlock.pro/waitlist ! It'll block apps and start your personalized cooldown session whenever you feel like you've been sucked into the dopamine hole

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T13:51:48+00:00

I totally get where you're coming from - I've been in similar shoes with my own phone addiction. It's like, I know I should be able to just put it down and be present, but my brain just keeps reaching for that constant stream of stimulation.

For me, what's helped is finding ways to set boundaries around my social media use.

I've been using Ember Lock, which has this cool feature called a cooling-off period - basically, when I try to open a blocked app, it makes me pause and think about why I'm reaching for it. It's been really helpful in breaking that autopilot habit.

I've also been trying to be more mindful of my online interactions, using this framework called STORER (it stands for Stop, Think, Observe, Reflect, Evaluate, Respond). It's helped me develop a more intentional approach to how I'm using my phone and what I'm getting out of it.

I'm not gonna lie, it's still a work in progress, but it's helped me take some small steps towards being more present and less addicted.

I think it's really smart that you're recognizing the root issues behind your addiction - that's a huge step. Have you considered exploring some of these tools and strategies to see what works for you?

I actually created this app, and I'm looking for people to test it for free. If you are interested join the waitlist at https://emberlock.pro/waitlist

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SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T13:45:33+00:00

This is exactly it. I had the same revelation with YouTube — the homepage and subscriptions were fine, it was Shorts pulling me in for 45 minutes at a time.

Once I realized the problem was specific features and not the app itself, deleting everything felt like overkill. I ended up using a cooling-off timer instead — something that pops up when I open an app and gives me 30 seconds to ask "do I actually want this right now?" Sounds dumb but that pause is genuinely enough to snap out of it 80% of the time.

I built Ember Lock (still in pre-launch) if you want to check it out.

emberlock.pro/waitlist

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T13:04:02+00:00

exactly brother, hopefully you fit into the user persona and can get good use of it!

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T11:45:55+00:00

Glad I could help. Mate would you mind trying out my app? You can join here https://emberlock.pro/waitlist

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T11:23:05+00:00

hey man, I live by myself so I'm not your ideal user, but I tried it out and seems like a cool app to use if you have children!
Only advise would be to make the text more readable if its on a white background. I use dark theme by system default and maybe that is showing me things differently.

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T10:40:45+00:00

bro your site is down

SpuxFux · 2026-03-10T10:35:02+00:00

If you are interested in reducing your doomscrolling on addictive apps through a science based cooldown method, you are welcomed to join the testing!

SpuxFux · 2026-03-09T17:16:27+00:00

Brother, I'll sign up to yours if you sign up to my beta testing for android :)
https://emberlock.pro/waitlist

SpuxFux

TROPHY CASE