I have a lifelong habit: I can't leave things stock. A new car? I see a system that can be streamlined. A new computer? I have to understand it down to the component level. It's a drive to know every nut and bolt of the systems I rely on, partly out of curiosity, and partly because I’ve found most commercial products are bloated. They often carry a 5-20% dead weight of features I’ll never use.
So, for years, my solution was to modify. I’d gut the non-essentials and customize what was left. But you can only get so far working within someone else's framework. You’re still dealing with their foundation, their rules, and their limitations.
For a long time, I focused on customizing the tools others built. But real leverage doesn't come from modifying the box; it comes from designing your own from the ground up, where every component serves your purpose.
The Performance Ceiling
In my professional life, I ran into this problem head-on. I was managing massive data sets for data center projects, well over a million entries in relational databases. The industry-standard software was great for getting started. It set the guardrails and taught me the ropes.
But as the projects scaled in value and complexity, the data exploded. The software hit its performance ceiling. It became a bottleneck. Its inflexibility was getting in the way of progress, and I was spending more time fighting the tool than doing the work. The "one-size-fits-all" solution no longer fit.
So I took a first-principles approach. I opened a blank Google Sheet, pulled up Apps Script, and started designing my own solution.
The Blueprint for a Better Tool
Building from scratch isn't just about code; it's a more disciplined way of thinking.
- Intentional Design: When you build it yourself, there is zero bloat. Every feature, every function, every button is there because you intentionally put it there to solve a specific problem. It is the physical output of pure intent.
- Prototype, Test, and Iterate: You don't get it right on the first try. The process is a loop: build a simple prototype (Version 0) for internal use. Test it in real-world conditions. Identify its weaknesses and be willing to rebuild parts that don't work. This is how you arrive at a battle-tested Version 1.
- LEGOs, Not Jenga: A key principle is modularity. I built my system so that each tool is a separate block. It can be added, removed, or upgraded without destabilizing the entire structure. Most commercial software is a Jenga tower, pull out the wrong piece and it all risks collapse. A custom-built system should be like a LEGO set: endlessly adaptable.
The Real Outcome Wasn't the Software
Here’s the part that changed my perspective. I didn't just fix a performance issue or build a tool that fit my workflow. The process fundamentally changed my entire approach to problem-solving.
It created a new sense of capability. The ceiling on what I thought was possible disappeared. Instead of asking "what does this tool let me do?", the question became "what is the ideal way to solve this, and how do I build the tool that does it?" That shift is everything.
I use a compass as my guide now. The core vision for a project is the heading. Day-to-day, you may need to veer left or right to navigate obstacles, but as long as you frequently check that compass, you know your general direction is sound.
The next time you feel constrained by a tool, a system, or a process, ask yourself: is it time to stop customizing and start building?
// cheers, Dan Marr
