May 2025 Peripheral Thinkers™ Newsletter
May 15, 2025
Hello, Peripheral Thinkers™!
Ever had a vision that made your heart race?
It starts like a whisper.
A product idea, a better business model, a wild new way of working.
You write it down. Sketch it out. Maybe even daydream about it a few times during meetings.
But then… it sits.
Days pass. Weeks pass. That brilliant idea? Still just ink on paper.
That’s what we’re tackling this month:
The gap between the idea in your head and the reality you want to build.
This is where Peripheral Thinking™ shines brightest—when bold ideas meet deliberate action.
From Dreaming to Doing
A Peripheral Perspective — The BUILDING Skill
At first glance, the Peripheral Thinking™ ‘Building’ skill sounds linear.
Visualize → Plan → Build.
But anyone who’s ever started a business, launched a product, or even assembled IKEA furniture knows the truth:
“The plan never survives the first contact with the real world.”
That’s the essence of the Building Skill in Peripheral Thinking™.
It's not just about execution—it's about staying flexible, learning mid-flight, and reshaping your vision as you go.
Because let’s face it:
The most powerful ideas evolve in the process of being built.
Whether you're working on your first origami butterfly or building a global enterprise, here's the truth:
👉 You don’t need all the answers to start. But you DO need to start.
🧠 Thinkers vs. Builders vs. Unicorns
Here’s a fun question:
How many people do you know who can…
Come up with a truly original idea
Create a detailed plan to execute it
Carry out that plan to completion?
If your answer is “not many,” you’re not alone.
These three capabilities—Ideation, Planning, and Execution—rarely live in one person. That’s why exceptional leaders, creatives, and founders feel like unicorns.
But what if you could practice this trifecta? What if you could develop it like a muscle?
That’s the Building skill.
A mindset. A habit. A strategy.
👷♂️ Rebuilding My First Engine – A Personal Story
Let me take you back a bit…
I’ve always loved cars. The lines, the sound, the feel. In my 30s, I raced amateur open-wheel formula cars. It was exhilarating.
When racing stopped, the passion didn’t. I didn’t want to just drive cool cars.
I wanted to build them.
So, I did what many passionate fools do:
I bought an engine. A dead one.
I had zero mechanical training, but I had a vision:
“I want to be the kind of guy who can take a junkyard engine and make it roar.”
So, I began to build:
🔍 Visualizing: What would it feel like to bring something dead back to life?
🗺️ Planning: I binge-watched videos. Called up mechanic friends. Scoured forums.
🔨 Making: It took twice as long. Twice the parts. Twice the frustration.
And? I messed up. Big time.
But I also learned more in that one rebuild than I could have in any class.
That one project rewired how I think about business, innovation, and execution.
Building teaches you what no book can.
🎯 When to Use the BUILDING Skill
Use the Building skill any time you have a vision that matters.
Got an idea that excites you? Build it.
Have a plan but haven’t started? Build it.
Feeling stuck in perfectionism? Build it anyway.
In fact, when in doubt, here’s the mantra:
“If you’ve thought it through twice, act once.”
Don’t wait for clarity. Clarity is a reward of motion.
🧪 Small Ways to Grow Your BUILDING Skill
You don’t need a massive business overhaul to develop this skill. Start small.
Here are 3 exercises:
1. Model Something Physical
Buy a model kit (car, plane, horse, whatever).
Build it without rushing.
Notice your thought process.
Problem-solve. Redo. Reflect.
2. Craft a Utility Project
Try this weekend project:
🪵 A bench that transforms into a picnic table.
You’ll flex your visualizing, planning, and making muscles—all in a single afternoon.
3. Create Art, Origami-Style
Make a simple origami butterfly. It’ll teach you patience, precision, and process.
These aren’t just hobbies.
They’re workouts for your Builder Brain.
The one that turns messy ideas into transformative innovations.
🔁 Final Thought
The best builders don’t wait for everything to be perfect.
They move.
They learn.
They adjust as they go.
In fact, your messy progress might just be the most powerful version of your vision yet.
So I’ll ask again:
What are YOU building next?
Because every great innovation—every billion-dollar company, movement, or masterpiece—started the same way:
With someone who decided to start building!
💬 Let’s Keep Building Together
Here’s what you can do next:
✅ Share this newsletter with someone sitting on an idea.
✅ Post a pic of what you’re building and tag me.
✅ Or just reply with your biggest takeaway—I love hearing from you.
Until next time—I’ll be looking for you in the periphery.
👏🏽 Where visions come alive.
👏🏽 Where doing creates knowing.
👏🏽 Where BUILDING makes everything possible.
Keep Building,
Paul Daniels, Jr.
© 2025 Paul Daniels Jr. Image Credit: Image Creator
