How to Make Anything You Want

Today we’re talking big picture stuff.

We’re talking about how to make anything you want. Whether it’s a painting, an outdoor bathtub, a beautiful website or something else entirely, I’m sharing the steps I follow to make all those things and more.

So you can begin enjoying what your heart desires by making it for yourself and not waiting until ‘some time when…’ you have more cash, resources or expertise.

Video Transcript: How to Make Anything You Want

The reason I titled this video “How to Make Anything That You Want”, is because I’m being a little bit cheeky, but I’m also looking at the process I’ve used, that my friend highlighted to me.

She asked me recently, “Nic, how did you know how to make an outdoor bath tub? How did you make a kitchen table? How did you make your website? How did you learn to do these things?”

That’s quite a disparate range of things to have made, plus of course, I’ve made online programs and I’ve made paintings, and I’ve made some pretty weird dance moves in the kitchen. I thought, there must be a process I follow, and wouldn’t it be interesting to be able to break it down? That’s what I’d like to do with you today.

Here’s the steps that I’ve come up with, and tell me if you think they make sense.

Step #1. Know What it is You Want to Make.

It sounds obvious, because it is. The thing is, at this point you don’t have to know everything about what it is that you want to make. You don’t need to know the how, and you don’t have to know all the tiny details of it, but you do need to have a vision of what you want.

Also, it’s important to know why you want it.

For me, if we take an example of building a bath in my back yard, it was because in my house, there was not enough space to have a bath tub. I really, really missed having baths, so I made it a point to go, “I’m going to find a way to have a bath. If I have to do something a bit different, that’s okay.”

The purpose of this was so that I could actually enjoy having a bath.

It wasn’t about impressing my friends with how amazing my workmanship was. It wasn’t about trying to be on the pages of Inside Out Magazine with my interior design. It was really about being able to relax at the end of a day, with some Epsom salts, and a glass of wine, and warm water all around me.

Know what it is, and why, I suppose is the other part of that question, why it is that you want to create what it is that you want to create.

Step #2. Break it Down into the Materials, Skills, & Processes You’ll Need

Step 2 is to break down that thing into the materials, into the skills, and into the processes that go into making it. When it came to making a bath, I realized I was going to need some kind of frame to keep the bath off the earth, and stop it from rocking around.

I figured that to make a frame using the skills that I have, I could do that with timber.

I’ve worked with drills and timber, making canvases, so I had those skills already. I didn’t always know those things, either. We’ll talk about how to find those skills. I also knew that I was going to need a bath tub. Fair enough. I’ll probably also need some water.

Then I broke it down further.

How can I get some hot water into my bath, when I don’t know how to do plumbing? “Hey, there’s a hot water tap down in the laundry. I could attach a hose to that tap, and I could run the hose up to the bath. I’d have to still run down and turn off the hose, but hey, it will work”.

Remember coming back to why it was that I wanted to create it, it was to be able to luxuriate in a nice, warm bath at the end of the day. If you can break down what the materials are, in this case, it was a bath, and timber, and some screws, and a drill. Those are the things.

If it was a website, then you’ll need to know what platform you’re going to build your website on. A quite popular one is Word Press. Then you’re going to need to have a theme for your Word Press site. Then you’re going to need to have some content to go on your different pages on your website.

Those would be the materials or the elements that go into making a website.

Step #3 is Believe that You Can Learn

If you find that there’s gaps in your knowledge with the skills that are required to make something, believe that you can learn, because you absolutely can. Anyone can learn right from scratch, how to make things, if you put yourself in a position where you’re willing to be a beginner, and you’re willing to do this next step, which is, ask questions.

You need to find out where you can get those elements.

Where you can get the materials, where you can get the skills, and where you can find out more about the processes involved in making something.

For me, I’ve spent plenty of time talking to men at hardware stores and asking them how to build walls and how to cut timber in a certain way, so that it fits together.

It’s about being willing to ask questions.

You may not have to always find a person to ask a question. You can ask Google, or you can ask YouTube, these days. Finding out information to fill those knowledge gaps, is the next step. Plus, finding the materials that you actually need, as well.

Finding the theme that you’re going to use for Word Press, or finding the wood, down at the hardware store. Then you bring all that stuff back into one place.

One point that I recommend at this stage, is make sure when you’re asking for assistance and help, ask people’s advice, who have done what it is that you want to do, and who you respect their quality of what it is that you’re trying to create.

What comes to mind for me is, I was really looking for how to create a beautiful, romantic relationship, and I found this couple that I thought, “You guys seem to have it together. You are really kind to each other.”

I wanted to learn from them. That’s just a little caveat, but still, creating a relationship is creating something, isn’t it?

Step #4. Ask for and Receive Assistance

It’s helpful if we are willing to receive, once we’ve asked. Sometimes it can be like, “I’m going to ask this question, but I’m going to put up defenses, because I don’t want to be vulnerable, and I don’t want to look like a fool,” and we shoot down that avenue for being able to learn, and coming in to something with a beginner’s mind.

So, step number 4 is ask for and receive assistance.

Step #5 & #6. Make the Thing, and Then Iterate

The fifth step is actually to make the thing, and then the 6th step is, give yourself permission to iterate, or to fine-tune your creation.

What you’ve made the first time, doesn’t mean that it’s going to be perfect, but you will have learned so much through the process of actually following all those steps, that you will be able to just adjust things, so that it works for you.

In the case of my bath, perhaps I made the stand too high. Then I can cut it down shorter. If with my website, I decide that I don’t actually love the colors that I chose for the branding, then I’ll change the colors of the branding. Things are open for adjustments in that 6th step.

I thought that was really interesting, being able to break things down like that. I’d love to hear from you, what you think of that process.

Perhaps I’ve missed some steps you think are important, and you’ve found useful when you’re making things. I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

In the meantime, hopefully you’re feeling inspired to go out and try a creative project you’ve been looking at and thinking, “I wonder how I can possibly make it?” Follow those steps, and you’ll probably be very surprised at what you’re capable of! Because hey, I’m not a carpenter, and I made a bath outside, and I love it.

Have a great week.

Be kind to yourself. Nurture your creativity, and I’ll see you later.

-Nicola

Did you miss last week’s post? Check it out here: 3 Unusual Painting Tools You Probably Have at Home