Why I Like Building Things Nobody Asked For
This blog explains Why I Like Building Things Nobody Asked For
Most of the things I’ve built started without permission.
No one requested them. No one was waiting. There was no audience in mind. Just an itch I couldn’t ignore.
At first, that felt irresponsible. Now it feels necessary.
Permission Kills Curiosity
When you build only what people ask for, you limit yourself to existing problems and familiar solutions. That’s safe. It’s also boring.
The projects that taught me the most were the ones driven by curiosity:
- “Why does this feel broken?”
- “What if this worked differently?”
- “Could I build a simpler version myself?”
Those questions don’t come from demand. They come from taste.
Taste is personal. It’s also where originality starts.
Building for Yourself First
When I build something for myself, I don’t overthink it.
I don’t worry about onboarding. I don’t worry about growth. I don’t worry about whether it sounds impressive. I worry about whether it solves my problem.
That honesty creates clarity.
Ironically, the things built this way often resonate more with others. Because they weren’t watered down to please everyone.
Failure Without Fear
Building things nobody asked for removes pressure.
If it fails, that’s expected. If it works, that’s interesting.
There’s freedom in not needing approval. Freedom to experiment. Freedom to ship something weird. Freedom to be early, wrong, or both.
Some projects die quietly. Others become foundations for something better. Both outcomes are valuable.
Learning Through Exploration
Every “unnecessary” project teaches something:
- A new tool
- A new mental model
- A new way of thinking about users
Even when the project itself goes nowhere, the skills compound.
I don’t see these builds as products. I see them as training.
The Real Reason
I don’t build because I’m trying to prove something. I build because it helps me understand the world better.
Building is how I think.
And thinking out loud, through software, is how I grow.