When I was 18, the first thing I said to convince my friend to be my co-founder was “Let’s become millionaires before we turn 20.” He agreed. That company did not work out.
I like to make things. I really enjoy making useful and beautiful things for other people. My original intentions for starting a startup was to get rich, but I quickly fell in love with the act of creating something new. It wasn’t long until my main source of motivation became making things. Money quickly became secondary. I still care about money, but only to the extent that it’ll let me continue to make things.
I’m not entirely sure why I find the act of creating things so enjoyable. Part of it is that I’m good at it. I’m pretty good at making software. I understand how computers work, and also how people use computers. But it honestly it goes beyond computers. I like making ice cream for my friends. I like writing blog posts that people might find helpful. I don’t know where this sense of duty towards people comes from. Maybe it’s innate? Maybe it’s heritable? My parents did spend a lot of time helping other people solely for the sake of helping them out. It could very well be heritable. And the way it manifests in me as someone who enjoys computers is that I enjoy making technology to help people live better lives.
That’s always been the unifying theme in everything I do: technology in pursuit of human flourishing. It’s never been about the technology. It’s always been about the people. I care about people. I want to use technology to make their lives better. To help them flourish. To achieve their potential. I always come back to that idea, though I’m not sure why. It just feels so obvious to me. We have the ability to shape our environment and create a future in which people live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. That’s a beautiful thing to be able to do! It feels like I have an obligation, a duty. That seems to be the mark of a craftsperson: a sense of obligation to better the lives of those around them by making things for them.
Making things is a pretty broad statement. I don’t just mean making apps. You could make an institution. Or a pint of ice cream. Or write a story for them. I just have this urge to make. To create. I feel at ease when I’m creating something. Even if it’s not that useful. Or that pretty. Even assembling a LEGO set feels productive to me. Which is silly - there’s nothing useful about a LEGO set. (Or maybe there is?)
This makes me wonder to what extent my desire to make things is hardwired in my biology. What else do I like to do? I really enjoy talking to my friends. I really enjoyed chatting with Thariq. I also enjoyed chatting with Abe. Close friendships are one of the greatest joys in life. Some of the happiest moments of my life were not due to grand achievements, but rather an evening spent with friends where we had a good time just hanging out. I love people. I went to the optometrist recently and loved chatting with the nurse there. It was such a minor interaction, but asking about her vacation and seeing her smile was wonderful. I love being able to make people smile, to make them laugh. It feels great to be able to bring people together, to be included.
I guess it all comes back to people. Maybe the reason I enjoy making things is because I want to be accepted. I want them to care about me. I want them to respect me. I wonder if that’s the reason I find myself wanting to create. I don’t think that’s a bad reason. If anything, that’s the most human reason I can think of. Making things for the sake of making feels foreign to me. Making things for other people so they love and respect you feels more honest and true.
Do I really want to make things? Or do I just want to be accepted? Maybe it's both. And maybe that's okay.
