A golden age for trying

What a delight to be alive right now. If you like building digital things, I think this is a golden age for trying.

When I wanted to build a website around twenty years ago, I had to pay someone to develop it. I would explain the idea to someone in Pakistan, but so much context was lost between the UK market in my head and what they understood. I could not afford an engineer in the UK.

Today I can describe something, build an early version with AI and see what happens. I can try an idea without becoming so attached to it. If it does not work, I can change it or try something else.

I see that as a change in the economics of experimentation. Some digital ideas can now be tested with much smaller budgets. The cost depends on what you are building and how far you want to take it.

Dan Sullivan’s description of entrepreneurial risk stays with me: you can put in the work and still have no income to show for it. I have accepted that uncertainty in my own working life.

I think we are at a watershed moment. People are worried about jobs, and I keep thinking about what they might now be able to create. My optimism comes from seeing how much easier it has become to turn an idea into something I can test.

Working in a business can also teach you structure, discipline and the basics of how things operate. Those experiences helped me. There are many ways into building something of your own.

You can go on YouTube and learn about almost anything. The desire to learn still has to come from you. Everyone’s nature is different. I happen to love figuring things out.

I get excited about younger people having access to these tools. Courage helps you begin. Learning what you have missed, and paying attention to the result, helps you decide what to do next.

Alan Watts asked what we would choose to do if money were no object. My takeaway is to find something I love doing and keep getting better at it. For me, that means learning, building and following my curiosity.

These are my Saturday thoughts. I want to keep building things and seeing where they go.