Go Build Something

Go build something

The faux-philosophical saying of “you’re a human being, not a human doing” is bullshit by people who want to sell you spiritual snake oil and lead you astray.

You’re made to build, make, create, and do.

If you’re depressed or feeling down it could be because your entire physiology — from your brain to your opposable thumbs — is made for you to build stuff. But instead you just consume.

“Optimists build airplanes, pessimists build parachutes.” ― George Bernard Shaw

I purposely made this super short so we can get to the point: for you to stop consuming and start BUILDING. Most books waste your money and time. This one can be read in 5 minutes and it was free.

“What should I build?” you ask. Well, anything. I’ve outlined a few ideas of different things you can build at different levels of mastery. It’s all up to you, though.

Table of contents

Your body

You can start by building your body.

If by now you’re still not fit and healthy, start that right now.

Search for GZCLP and follow the program. Do that for a few months and you’ll be squatting 100Kg and have a decent base of muscle to work on.

More muscle makes it easier to lose weight. Build muscle first and lose fat second.

If, instead, you’re super skinny, just lift and focus on eating significantly more than you’re eating now.

This isn’t a fitness book, go read one if you must, but this is all you need to do know:

  • Lift weights/do resistance training to build muscle
    • These 5 lifts are responsible for 95% of everyone’s muscle gain, everything else is noise:
      • Squat
      • Deadlift
      • Benchpress
      • Barbell/dumbbell row
      • Military/strict press
  • Calorie surplus/deficit controls weight gain/loss
  • You can’t out train a bad diet
  • Do cardio
  • Use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you need & stick to it. You may need to count calories for a few weeks, but after a while you get a decent enough idea of how much you need to eat and can get it right intuitively.

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” — Socrates

Something Done Wrong

Something worth doing right is first worth doing wrong. Do something incorrectly. Anything. Something full of mistakes:

  • A lamp that trips your circuit breaker
  • A shed with a roof that leaks.
  • A Bob Ross inspired painting that just looks terrible
  • A table with uneven legs
  • Home improvement that actually devalues your home
  • Software that doesn’t work
  • A book that no one reads ( like this one )
  • A song that no one listens to
  • A business that fails

It’s OK to make mistakes. I’d say even better than not making any, because it’s a sign you’re doing something new.

“A man who never makes mistakes has long since ceased to do anything new. A man who is always making mistakes is a doomed man with swollen ambitions. But he who judiciously salts success with mistake is the rapid learner.” ― Donald Kingsbury, Courtship Rite

Something Physical

A few years ago I got tired of paying someone else’s mortgage in the form of rent, so I converted a van into a micro-camper and hit the road.

The process of building that van was the thing I was the most proud of for some time. Cutting wood, making the electrical system, plumbing, heating, installing a solar panel, hooking up my second battery to the alternator, etc.

I had been stuck writing software for years, and, although it’s a form of building. It’s a psychic prison when others tell me what to make and how to make it. It’s still what I’m into, but I have now founded a company of my own, and everything I do at work is building up to something I can call mine.

You need to be creating something that resonates with you, or you won’t get the same kick out of it. When you’re doing something you’re supposed to be doing you will experience what is known as “flow”.

Building something that you can sleep in leads to an indescribable feeling. The first night I spent at a ski resort with -7ºC outside and a toasty 24ºC inside was amazing.

I 100% want/need to build my own house at some point. It resonates so deeply with me that I think it’s in my genetics. And I have yet to meet a man who doesn’t feel the same. But some are so distanced from their own nature that they can’t tap into it as much.

It should tell you something that most videos on youtube of someone building something have a ridiculous amount of views. From the cabin building channels to the “primitive technology” types.

It’s in our genes to make stuff. And we can’t help but to be fascinated by the process. I just need to tell you that it’s 100x greater to be the one creating. Even if what you created is slightly shittier than you planned, it beats watching someone else do it. Because it’s yours. You created it.

Something Not Physical

This book is something I decided to create for the simple reason that creating is better than consuming. Of course, you can’t create unless you’ve consumed some basics, but consuming for the sake of consuming is fruitless. Consume the bare minimum you need to create what you truly want to create, and learn from mistakes whilst creating.

I can tell you from the perspective of someone who reads a lot of books that there will come a time where you don’t really get anything new at a macro level. Humans haven’t changed much for like 70,000 years. All the unchangeable aspects of human nature are in the bible (yes, that bible), although sometimes in a cryptic way. Reading something like “Laws of human nature” by Robert Greene gives you a lot of information about people. And since people are involved in everything, it’s something worth spending time on.

Most of our current problems are just repeated versions of a previous problem with a modern flavour. We’re apes that wear clothes. We’re moved by sex, fear, greed, hatred, and anger. That’s kinda it.

A Business

Creating something from nothing is a great feeling. And it’s even greater when others are willing to pay for it.

Find a problem you have a solution for and charge money for it.

Figure out what drives you. What is it that you enjoy doing? Can you transform this passion into a business? Whether it’s crafting, technology, or serving others through unique experiences, your passion can be your business blueprint.

Build Your Brand: Your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services and differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be, and who people perceive you to be.

Build a Network: Relationships are at the core of any business. Surround yourself with mentors, partners, and clients who understand and support your vision.

A Community

There is a 100% chance that there are plenty of people who want to do stuff in your neighbourhood.

I suggest that you pass this message on by creating and leading your own group that is focused on creating stuff. State what you’re doing and invite others to join.

I once created a philosophy group on facebook named something like “[city name] - Philosophers”, created an event, shared it with other local groups, and a bunch of people joined. Made friendships that have lasted for years and met all sorts of very different people.

There are other platforms like meetup.com that have people who are desperate to do something meaningful and can’t stand another vapid conversation over a bagel at 11AM on Sunday. Tap into that.

If you’re into woodworking or building stuff out of wood, find the guy with the biggest garage with tools and get together on the weekends to build stuff. Whether it’s a swingset for the guy with kids, or a squat rack for the guy with no home gym.

If you’re into cars, do the same thing but with cars.

If you’re into home improvement, do the same thing with home improvement.

If you’re into D&D, do the same with D&D.

I guess by now you get the picture.

Collaborating in this way is a lost art. We’ve gotten too used to being bossed around to solve the distant needs of someone else instead of willingly serving our peers with what we do best.

One of my favourite Christian values is that of serving others. But when you’re being forced to serve a boss who doesn’t have your best interests in mind to create something that barely serves the client he’s trying to get the most money out of, you can’t help but feel like an idiot.

Whatever you’re consuming

Since I doubt that you’re spending all your hours doing literally nothing. I’m going to assume that you’re consuming something. Whether it’s books, video games, forums, reddit, or youtube, tik tok, IG, etc.

So, if neither of the above mentioned topics fit you. Then, just build whatever you’re currently consuming a lot of.

If you spend 16 hours a day looking at funny videos on youtube, download a bunch of them and make compilation videos. Build an audience and then sell things to them.

If you play video games all the time, learn to code and make one. It doesn’t have to be complex to be successful, just look at Among us and flappy bird.

If you’re stuck reading books that get you nowhere, write your own: You know what they say:

WE REMEMBER

10% of what we read

20% of what we hear

30% of what we see

50% of what we see and hear

70% of what we discuss with others

80% of what we personally experience

95% or what we teach others

  • Edgar Dale

If you’re on tiktok all the time, start making tik toks, if you must.

Create what you’re currently consuming. You should have a decent grasp of the community and what works and what doesn’t. Apply that knowledge when creating.

Ignore this

Stop giving attention to most of the things you currently give attention to, most of it is useless.

Most advice is useless, most opinions are useless, giving them a channel to input their BS into your brain via social media/news/TV is dumbing you down.

I’m serious.

Open your phone right now and uninstall the social media apps that use up most of your time. You can install them again later when your addiction is gone. Alternatively, buy a “dumb phone”. This is now the phone that you keep in your pocket. I’ve had one as a backup in case I break my femur hiking in the woods or some shit, the theory being that the smartphone would be obliterated by me falling on it VS a simpler/stronger phone with a much longer battery life.

99.99% of information is complete bullshit

Yeh

Seriously. Ignore it. Build shit, learn from doing.

That was it. Go build something.

I’ll leave you with this:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

About the author

Amando Abreu is a serial entrepreneur, Fractional CTO, and engineer who has been involved in several startups and launched dozens of products. He has worked with companies such as trivago, Portugal Telecom, and Vizrt. He has experience in several industries, most notably e-commerce, SaaS, media, travel, insurance, property development, and construction.