Building, Focus, and the Beginner’s Mind: What I’m Learning from Sam Altman

 So let's do a character post now. I have written about so many people, but one of the most important people I wanted to write about is Sam Altman. Although, living he is one of the best people that I want to talk about. Now, let's talk about him a little bit and see where we can take the conversation. 

In general, it's best if you're building something that you yourself need. I love this quote because first of all he is talking about building something that you yourself need. If you need a home, build a home. If you need a particular thing, you build that. If you need a chair, you build that chair. No need to worry too much about all the other things in the world. Just do what's needed. If you have a problem about something else build that something else. What Sam's saying is that let's say you do not have a door in your house, what do you do? You build that door so that you can use it and later on you can give it to people around. Now that's what building really means. Secondly, when you build something in life, you will be proud of it. So don't be afraid of not building at all. Just build. Build. and Build. That's how you get happier and contended in life. Now, what I am saying is that when one is building things, they are not just building a product, they are building the most important things life has to offer. You build your life by building things. Why not build a great life. Necessity is the mother of all inventions. I have written something really random out here but as long as I am writing it's okay. I think that's also building over my thoughts.

Stay focused and don't try to do too many things at once. Care about execution quality. What we really want in life is to care about our execution quality. For that, we need to do very few things at once. Not too many of them. So for an example, if you are building one product, like chatgpt, you just focus on building on that. Think and bring in more energy on how do we improve that product rather than doing anything else. So staying focused is a key to a happy and a mindful life. When we stay focused we don't just do that one thing properly, we are able to produce more results in life. That does give us a very meaningful life in general. That's what we got to do. Stay focused not just towards your goals but towards every little thing. If you want to be focused in relationships, stay focused towards your relationships as well. No need to go and do speed dating. Rather focus on that one girl and she will help you achieve everything that you got to achieve in life. Then the next section is about career. If you want to be focused be so focused on your career that nothing can come in your way. You do things very well in what you are doing. One thing at a time. Next when you want to be focused in sports, play your sports very well. That's the key to a happy life. Now all of these are important aspects of life. The more you are focused towards less things, the better the quality of life really becomes. 

Spend a lot of time with the kind of people who are constantly producing new ideas. The more ideas you generate the better in life. The less you have to worry about anything else. That's how you get truly successful in life. Every time you think of getting better ideas. You should spend as many time with people who keep on giving more and more ideas. One idea leads to the other. For example, one might think of starting a startup and the other might think of doing something else. But the more you spend time where you truly care about the multiple things that's great. If you are smart, you spend time with other smart people. If you are less smart, you spend less time with other smart people. But what really matters is you spend time with the folks who generate a lot of ideas. 

Do new things often. This seems to be really important. Not only does new things seem to slow down the perception of time, increase happiness and keep life interesting, but it seems to prevent people from calcifying in the ways that they think. Aim to do something big, new and risky every year in your professional and personal life. I think this a great thought. When you do new things often. You will experience more things often. When you experience more things often, you will also slow down the perception of time, increase happiness and keep life interesting. 

As we get older, life can begin to feel repetitive. Days blur, weeks fly by, and years colapse into a few memories. Why? Because our brains compress routine. When we do the same things every day, the mind stops recording details.

But when you do something new, travel to a different place, start a new project, take up a hobby, meet new people, your brain starts paying attention again. It creates fresh neural connections, and as a result, time feels slower and fuller. Life becomes rich with moments instead of a blur of sameness.

Studies in psychology and neuroscience have shown that novelty triggers dopamine release, the feel-good chemical linked to motivation and pleasure. It's not just about thrill-seeking; doing new things stimulates curiosity, hope, and engagement.

Even small changes, taking a different route home, trying a new recipe, joining a new group, can add sparks of joy and awaken your senses.

Doing the same things in the same ways for years can calcify your thinking. You get stuck in patterns, the same beliefs, routines, and comfort zones.

But trying new things forces your brain to adapt, make new decisions, and see the world from a different lens. This mental flexibility keeps your thinking sharp, helps you solve problems creatively, and opens you up to possibilities you couldn’t see before.

That’s a beautiful challenge — once a year, personally and professionally, take a leap.
Start a side project. Move to a new city. Learn a difficult skill. Launch a podcast. Say yes to something that scares you.

These bold moves become the anchor memories of your year. They are the moments you’ll look back on with pride, stories you’ll tell, and proof to yourself that you're still growing.

Life expands when you do.

And the best way to keep life expanding is to stay a beginner, stay curious, and keep choosing the path that makes you a little nervous — and a lot excited.

“Do new things often” isn’t just advice — it’s a mindset. One that leads to a fuller, richer, and more alive existence.

So now that's a very beautiful thought. What I want is to really get practical tips in how to achieve this in life. 

6. • 🔁 DAILY & WEEKLY MICRO-EXPERIMENTS

     These are small, low-risk ways to introduce novelty:

     1. Change your environment

        • Rearrange your room or desk.

        • Work from a different place — a coffee shop, park, or coworking space.

     2. Try a new route or method

        • Walk or drive a different path.

        • Switch your routine order (e.g., work out in the evening instead of morning).

     3. Say yes once a week to something new

        • A new food, a random meetup, a hobby, a new genre of movie or book.

     4. Add "firsts" to your calendar

        • Make a habit of noting “first-time experiences” in your week or month.

     5. The 30-day challenge mindset

        • Try a new habit for 30 days: journaling, coding, meditating, painting, writing a short poem every night.

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     🌱 MONTHLY EXPERIMENTS

     Stretch a bit more with new activities:

     6. Attend a different kind of event each month

        • A public lecture, art show, open mic, sports event, or workshop.

     7. Meet new people intentionally

        • Join a new group or club on Meetup, Bumble BFF, Toastmasters, or a community class.

     8. Learn a new skill on YouTube or an app

        • Try Duolingo, Skillshare, Coursera, MasterClass, or a new musical instrument or dance step.

     9. Do a digital detox weekend or “no-routine” day

        • Give your brain fresh air by not doing what you usually do.

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     🚀 YEARLY BOLD MOVES

     This is where growth explodes:

     10. Set one “big new thing” goal per year

         • Personal: Travel solo. Run a marathon. Take a sabbatical. Write a book.

         • Professional: Switch roles. Pitch a new idea. Speak at a conference. Build a side hustle.

     11. Choose one thing that scares and excites you

         • If it gives you butterflies and a little fear, you’re in the sweet spot.

     12. Schedule a “risk review” once a year

         • Ask: What’s something I’ve never done because I thought I couldn’t?

         • Then break it into a 3-step plan.

     13. Surround yourself with novelty-seekers

         • Growth is contagious. Spend time with people who live adventurously — they’ll stretch your comfort zone naturally.

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     📓 BONUS: DOCUMENT YOUR GROWTH

     14. Keep a "New Things Log"

         • Write one line a week about something new you tried.

         • It’ll build momentum, reflection, and gratitude.

     15. Create a personal “Year in Highlights” page

         • Every December, list all the bold or new things you did. Frame it if you want. That’s a life well-lived.