Building Up: The Journey to Recreating Life

Building Up: The Journey to Recreating Life

One of the most fascinating truths about life is this: if you truly desire something, you must build it yourself. Be it a lifestyle, a culture, a bungalow, a skyscraper, or even your version of an ideal self, it all begins with intention and action.

The Programming of Life

From birth, we inherit a preset way of living—our background, family traditions, and societal norms dictate much of our early life. These pre-programmed realities shape how we think and act, often without us realizing it. For instance, when Christmas doesn’t go a certain way, some immediately sense something is wrong. This is the effect of ingrained expectations.

By adulthood, many people feel trapped in their programmed routines, assuming it’s too late to make changes. The tide of life seems easier to swim along with than to resist, but is that really the case?

Questioning the Status Quo

As a child, I was mesmerized by magnificent buildings, dreaming of living in one. But as I grew older, reality struck—I neither had the means nor understood how they came to be. It was easy to marvel at the outcome without understanding the intricate processes, sacrifices, and decisions behind it.

This realization sparked questions within me: Are we born to accept life as it is? How do I change my reality? How can I make my dreams tangible?

Books offered some answers. They informed me and expanded my perspective, but they didn’t magically change my life. Books only transform where there’s already fertile ground—an existing skill set or understanding ready for growth. For example, if you grew up cooking, it’s easy to replicate recipes you see online. However, if you were raised in an environment where housing discussions were limited to paying rent, the concept of building a house might seem foreign or even unattainable.

The Power of Starting Over

Building up begins with acceptance—not of defeat, but of reality. Accept that some people are better writers, wealthier, or more skilled. From that place of humility, you can start over. For instance, someone without a strong English foundation will struggle in a country where English is the lingua franca. Yet, acknowledging this gap is the first step toward bridging it.

The same principle applies to scaling from a bungalow to a skyscraper. Mastering one thing well builds the confidence and competence to take on greater challenges. If you understand every detail of a bungalow, tackling a skyscraper becomes less daunting.

Universities and Higher Institutions: Microcosms of Building

The university experience is another example of "building up." Unlike primary and secondary schools, which cater to specific age groups and curricula, universities expose students to a diverse "universe" of people, ideas, and disciplines. A student who allows the university to shape them as much as they shape their experience will emerge prepared to navigate the complexities of the real world.

However, building up in university requires shedding old habits. The strategies that worked in high school may not guarantee success at this new level. To grow, you must adapt, develop new skills, and confront challenges head-on.

From Middle Class to Upper Class: The Cost of Rebuilding

The journey from one social class to another is another form of building up. Middle-class individuals often blame the upper class for withholding knowledge, but the truth is that the upper class can only share from its perspective. To truly break through, one must undergo a complete transformation of mindset, habits, and outlook—a process that demands effort and sacrifice. The top 1% of society have given away 99% of their resources—but what they initially gave might not have been money. Instead, it could have been their energy, drive, optimism, and industriousness, which later translated into wealth, connections, and influence. This creates a self-sustaining cycle, which is why their banks, industries, start-ups, and foundations are found everywhere. However, understanding this requires a specialized kind of knowledge—one that is rarely taught. It often feels instinctual or innate. Similarly, the top 10% have given away 90% of their resources, while the bottom 1% have only given away 1%. This dynamic, whether intentional or unintentional, is essentially how society forms its strata and divides into classes.

The same is true for wealth creation. The mindset that makes a thousandnaire a millionaire is vastly different from what transforms a millionaire into a billionaire. It’s a rebuilding process, requiring an overhaul of old beliefs and the adoption of new principles.

The Role of the Spirit in Building

Building and rebuilding are exhausting processes. They demand time, energy, and perseverance, which can overwhelm even the most determined. This is where the role of the spirit becomes indispensable.

The spirit is an inexhaustible source of strength and inspiration. Confidence rooted in talent, connections, or wealth can falter under pressure, but spiritual confidence is unwavering because it draws from an infinite source—God. The spirit provides motivation, optimism, and resilience, ensuring that no building process is abandoned halfway.

A Reflection of My Journey

These reflections come from my personal experience of building my life. I’ve learned that rebuilding and reshaping your reality is entirely possible, but it requires spiritual strength and unwavering determination.

Builders are respected worldwide because they brave the odds and persist where others might falter. Whether you’re building a house, a career, or a life, remember that every masterpiece starts from scratch. The process may be daunting, but the rewards are worth it.

Conclusion

Building up is more than just creating physical structures—it’s about reshaping mindsets, embracing change, and finding strength in the spirit to overcome obstacles. By acknowledging our starting points and committing to growth, we can create lives that align with our deepest desires.