Building is not enough

To get better at building things, build things more often.

But that practice on its own won’t help you build things people love.

For that you need to make sure - some way or another - that what you build is put to use, and that there’s enough trust and urgency to keep feedback flowing freely.

Doing that with others is the best way to learn, long term.

But if it’s not something you’ve done much of, or you’re out of practice… your best bet is to start with yourself.

Build something you want to love. Fix it and improve it until it works well enough that you’ll keep using it without having to force yourself to do so. Then keep paying attention to whatever stands in the way of you loving that thing you made and fix those issues too.

Loving something is not about it being perfect. It’s about feeling at home with it, about making it your own.

This is the first skill a serious builder needs to learn, and the one that shines through in every project through an entire lifetime. 

So build. But also aim to build what you’ll one day come to love.

When you’ve done enough of that, building things with love for others will come naturally too. 

Sooner or later.