Build, verb: to create something by putting parts together.
“The money is gone…we need to tell the employees so they can tell their families and start their job search.” Devastated, you obsess, “I can’t believe this is happening. Got to shake it off, there must be a way”. You’re lying to yourself; you should have seen it at the last sales call that fell through. You should have seen it when you lost your CFO last year, she’d warned you after all. But now it is too late, maybe you could get your old job back you wonder…
We link stories like the above (or their positive counterparts) with builders. But you don’t need a trillion-dollar company or have the name Elon or Bezos to be a builder. Plus, most builder time is not wrapped up in life or death decisions. In fact, remembering the outliers like these can prevent people from building.
Here are more reasons we don’t build:
Decisions are hard
It takes emotional effort to stare the fear of the unknown in the face and both select & cut off options. Whether too many or too few, you could waste time and/or money if you choose something less than the best. “Oh man, that time & money is rare & hard to earn, if I lose it that could be hard to get back. Plus, I have all the decisions from my main job, do I want to do add extra?” It is easier to let someone else make decisions and just do what you’re told.
Rejection sucks
If you dig past the fear of losing time & money you’ll find a deeper fear: rejection. For the 7,500 generations before us rejection meant death – not getting left out but getting left for dead. The risk takers did not always pass along their genes like the fearful compliers. That leaves us as the lucky recipients of a pile of risk-free tendencies.
Therefore, I’m not a builder
Once we avoid decisions and rejection, we declare ourselves: “not creative” or “not a builder”. Now safe, we are also blinded to seeing opportunity.
We support the claim with other excuses like:
“I need to start my own company, I can’t build as an employee.”
“I’m not educated” (if no degree, add “enough” if you have one.)
“Builders are bad people anyway” (and reference popular negative stories or decisions.)
Yet, my wager is that if you are still reading this, concluding that you are not a builder is deeply, factually & fundamentally wrong. If you find your desire to make a difference keeps burning even through fear and doubt, you are only a few steps from having builder fire in your veins.
So what? How do I start?
I am going to say something that will feel too simple. I’m even tempted to add a 5-step plan to make it more compelling. But the truth is building is grown from small steps.
To start just sit down for 15 minutes and begin to solve a problem a bit bigger than you are comfortable with. Let’s find one.
People
People problems exist everywhere. It could be a problematic co-worker, y’know the one that complains all the time? Or the one that doesn’t quite know what you know? Perhaps the burned out one? Listen, help, teach: build them. Need something bigger? How ’bout that boss of yours, the one you roll your eyes at? Help. Be a support. Make them stronger by your contributions. Look for strength instead of weakness. If you do it, you’re building.
Process
These too are all over. It could be a process that has become too bureaucratic, make a better one. People don’t believe you? Make a more compelling argument. Is there some work that needs a process? Make one. Already fixed your department & need something more challenging? Pick a process once removed from yours and build relationships to improve it. If you do it, you’re building.
Technology
Find a problem involving storing, communicating, or analyzing information? There is a crazy machine called a computer that specializes in improving these. All companies are now IT companies – if you are in a company that doesn’t realize this, you have an insane amount of opportunity to build. If you do it, you’re building.
Society
If you see problems outside your current job, the world is wide open for you to improve it. Start with a problem and fix it for one person, then two, then more. If you do it, you’re building.
Self
Finally, if you still can’t move. If the fear remains too big. If you are over or underwhelmed by the sheer number or lack of options, that’s ok. The building that you need to do is you. Read, self reflect, learn, and start building yourself from where you are. You can do it, if there has ever been a flame, it is still there, keep going & it will grow. The world needs you to contribute your solutions, your creations, your build. We are waiting for you, but focus – the clock is ticking and there is so much to improve, see you on the field.
