A Journey of Building and Serving
I wanted to talk a little bit about getting things done. For a long time, I’ve struggled—and seen others struggle—with trying to actually be motivated to do things. It might be small daily tasks, like taking out those plastic cups lying around the room, or larger goals, like tackling side projects for work.
The problem is that in tech, we have to constantly learn and move forward. If we don’t, we get left behind by the next person who’s motivated to learn and move up. I’ve recently found that my motivation is tied, in part, to my interest in something, but it can also be tied to my desire for a better quality of life. I often think, “If I can build something that people will use, not only could I make some money, but it would benefit people as well.”
The Challenge: Finding the Right Thing to Build
The problem, though, is that I can’t seem to find the right thing to build. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a deep interest in any one particular subject, or perhaps I haven’t been motivated enough to pursue it. If the question comes down to interest, then we need to think about what our interests actually are.
For example, I wrote down a top 10 list of some things that I like including:
- Politics
- Religion
- Language Learning
- History
- Military Tech
- Quantum science (light subjects, right? Haha)
Then I took those and wondered if I could do anything with them. I thought about writing apps that mimic Ground News or missionary-focused apps, but none of them seemed like either:
(A) Something I wanted to tackle, or
(B) Something I felt strongly motivated to do.
It turns out that just because you’re interested in a subject doesn’t mean you’re interested in pursuing a career or volunteer work related to that subject.
Reframing Work as Service
This brings me to my final thought on the subject: the idea that work should be a servant-like endeavor. If you treat work as serving others instead of serving yourself, it might help you decide what to build. When I started thinking about my projects as ways to help others—whether it’s veterans through Sync My Health Data or roadside techs with Michelin FixPix—I found a deeper sense of purpose.
But then again, it may not be so much what you build as it is that you build something. The act of creating, of putting something out into the world, can be its own reward. It’s a reminder that in tech, progress comes from action, not just intention. So, whether it’s a small app, a fun side project like my Impossible Gear Cascade, or something bigger, the key is to start building—and let the motivation follow.
What do you think? Food for thought…