The #1 bottleneck killing automation projects (it’s not what you think)

This week I was being interviewed for a session of the AI Creator Summit which I’m co-hosting in October.

We went deep into how to build automations that actually move the needle for content creators, course builders, and online entrepreneurs.

My co-host asked me: “What’s the biggest challenge people face when building automations?”

Most people expect me to say technical complexity.

Learning N8N.
Understanding APIs.
Wrestling with Database Structure.

But that’s not it.

The #1 limiting factor for people building automations is their own mind and creativity.

The Technical Skills Trap

Here’s what’s happening: everyone is obsessing over the technical parts of automation.

Learning every N8N mode.
Mastering Airtable formulas.
Understanding webhook configurations.

But within 12-24 months, AI will handle most of the technical implementation.

You’ll describe what you want in plain English, and AI will build the workflow for you.

Having technical automation skills will no longer be an asset.
It’ll be table stakes.

The real value will be in your ability to think about solving problems and designing systems.

What I’ve Been Saying for 18 Months

The funny thing is, I’ve been saying this for about 18 months now.

And suddenly, I’m seeing the same message pop up everywhere online.

But most people still don’t get it.

They’re still focused on mastering tools instead of mastering thinking.

The Creativity Problem

Here’s what I see when I work with clients:

They come to us with vague requests like “automate my content creation” or “streamline my client onboarding.”

When I ask them to walk through their current process step by step, they can’t do it.

When I ask what the ideal outcome looks like, they give me generic answers.

When I ask what specific problems they’re trying to solve, they shrug.

They expect the automation to somehow magically figure out what they want.

But automation can only execute ideas. It can’t create them.

The Systems Thinking Gap

The businesses that get incredible results from automation share one trait: they think in systems.

They don’t just see individual tasks.
They see how everything connects.

They don’t just want to “save time.”
They want to “eliminate this bottleneck so we can scale to 100 clients without hiring more support staff.”

They don’t just want to “automate email marketing.” ​
They want to “create a nurture sequence that identifies buying intent and routes hot leads directly to sales calls. That then records sales calls, identifies the common objections, and recreates nurture sequences and content that overcome those objections.”

That’s systems thinking.
And feedback loops.
And it’s becoming the most valuable skill in business.

How to Develop Systems Thinking

There are very few people who will tell you this, but it ultimately comes down to time and experience.

The longer you've been in business, the easier it becomes to understand how to get from A-Z.

Unfortunately, that's not completely helpful, so this is the best framework I can come up with in the short term...

1. Map your current reality first - Document exactly how things work now, including all the pain points and inefficiencies
2. Define your ideal outcome - Not just “faster” or “automated” but specific, measurable improvements
3. Identify the constraints - What’s actually preventing you from achieving that outcome?
4. Think in triggers and actions - When X happens, then Y should automatically occur
5. Consider the edge cases - What happens when something goes wrong? How does the system handle exceptions?
6. Design for evolution - How will this system adapt as your business grows?

The Competitive Advantage

While everyone else is learning technical skills that will be obsolete in 2 years, focus on developing your ability to see problems clearly and design elegant solutions.

That’s the skill that will compound over time.

That’s what separates good automation from transformational automation.

And that’s what will make you valuable in a world where AI can build anything you can clearly describe.

That's what we do at MakeBigMoves.

We design systems.

AI systems that are scalable.
That give the user control over the prompts.
And are easy to understand.

The automations are just a means to an end, not the main event.

The Question That Changes Everything

Next time you think about automation, don’t ask “How can I automate this?”

Ask...

“What outcome am I really trying to achieve, and what’s the simplest system that could deliver it?”

That shift in thinking will do more for your business than learning any technical tool.

Talk soon,

Mitch

P.S. The summit I mentioned is happening in October and will be focused entirely on practical AI applications for creators and entrepreneurs. More details coming soon.

P.P.S. Learn more about MakeBigMoves partner offers here:
​Partner Program | Whitelabel EOI.

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