From Struggling Employee to Builder: The Mental Shift That Unlocks Growth
It's not about what you do. It's about what you own.
My job as a developer was simple: close the task.
I was given a well-defined task, I wrote the code, and when the tests passed, my work was done. When I started my first side project, I kept that mindset. I built the feature, I wrote about it, I designed the landing page.
I was closing tasks, but nothing was happening.
The Bug
This bug is a killer of solo projects: confusing action with ownership.
As an employee, you're rewarded for executing tasks. You close the task, and you're done. As a solo builder, you're only rewarded for creating outcomes. This is a terrifying shift because you're no longer just a cog in the machine.
You're the owner of the entire outcome.
The Fix
The fix is to shift your mindset from an employee to an owner.
You don't just write the post
You own its distribution and whether it connects with anyone
You don't just build the feature
You have to own its marketing, its user onboarding and ensure it actually solves a problem
This is the single biggest mental shift you have to make.
But it's also the most empowering. It's the moment you stop being just an employee and truly become a builder.
Your Next Step
Stop closing tasks and start creating outcomes: a measurable result you can own.
For example, transform your actions:
Write a post → Get 10 people to read a post
Build the new feature → Get a user to successfully use a new feature
Send a tweet → Start a conversation with three people.
What's one outcome, not just a task, that you can take full ownership of this week?
See you next Saturday!
Join the Other Builders
Every Saturday, I share a short, punchy mindset upgrade like this one, powered by developer thinking, to help you build your business:
Share your knowledge. Earn more. Build freedom, solo.