Building the Builders
@genagorlin.blogsky.venki.dev
Exploring the psychology of ambitious creators: what it is, why it matters, and how to build it
Automated feed of https://builders.genagorlin.com/, find more feeds at @blogsky.venki.dev
Automated feed of https://builders.genagorlin.com/, find more feeds at @blogsky.venki.dev
What to Do with Our Selves: Transcend or Build? A conversation with Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin
What to Do with Our Selves: Transcend or Build? A conversation with Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin
A recording from Dr. Gena Gorlin's live video
builders.genagorlin.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:20 PM
What to Do with Our Selves: Transcend or Build? A conversation with Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin
The math professor who invented Silicon Valley’s favorite sport
The math professor who invented Silicon Valley’s favorite sport
My exchange with John Gill, the father of modern bouldering
builders.genagorlin.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The math professor who invented Silicon Valley’s favorite sport
Reflections upon turning 40
Reflections upon turning 40
Today is my 40th birthday, and I have been feeling many feelings.
builders.genagorlin.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Reflections upon turning 40
Go for win-win, or you’ll get lose-lose
Go for win-win, or you’ll get lose-lose
How internalizing the builder's mindset improves your relationships
builders.genagorlin.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Go for win-win, or you’ll get lose-lose
What is ambition, actually?
What is ambition, actually?
Some reflections on my book draft now that I've handed it off
builders.genagorlin.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
What is ambition, actually?
My journey from ADHD skeptic to Adderall enthusiast
My journey from ADHD skeptic to Adderall enthusiast
And what it taught me about living with agency
builders.genagorlin.com
August 16, 2025 at 10:55 PM
My journey from ADHD skeptic to Adderall enthusiast
Leadership Therapy with Gena Gorlin and Jeff Matlow
Leadership Therapy with Gena Gorlin and Jeff Matlow
A recording from Dr. Gena Gorlin and Jeff Matlow's live video
builders.genagorlin.com
July 24, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Leadership Therapy with Gena Gorlin and Jeff Matlow
Rethinking attachment
Rethinking attachment
[Adapted from this 2022 Twitter thread, which I’m reposting here by popular demand]
builders.genagorlin.com
July 18, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Rethinking attachment
Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin compare philosophies of valuing, judging, and the self
Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin compare philosophies of valuing, judging, and the self
A recording from Dr. Gena Gorlin's live video
builders.genagorlin.com
June 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Sasha Chapin and Gena Gorlin compare philosophies of valuing, judging, and the self
Psychology of Ambition with Dr. Gena Gorlin
Psychology of Ambition with Dr. Gena Gorlin
A recording from Evgeny Shadchnev's live video
substack.evgeny.coach
June 19, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Psychology of Ambition with Dr. Gena Gorlin
A peek at how I'm building myself by writing a book on building ourselves by building
A peek at how I'm building myself by writing a book on building ourselves by building
Hope that's "meta" enough for you
builders.genagorlin.com
May 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
A peek at how I'm building myself by writing a book on building ourselves by building
A Different and Better Way to Live, with Gena Gorlin
A Different and Better Way to Live, with Gena Gorlin
Recording of Dr. Gena Gorlin and Evgeny Shadchnev’s Builder’s Mindset live video
builders.genagorlin.com
April 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
A Different and Better Way to Live, with Gena Gorlin
How David Allen stumbled into "getting things done"
How David Allen stumbled into "getting things done"
Tidbits from my conversation with the world's best-known and best-loved productivity expert (a.k.a. "Mr. Lazy")
builders.genagorlin.com
April 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM
How David Allen stumbled into "getting things done"
On being married to Gena
On being married to Gena
builders.genagorlin.com
March 19, 2025 at 2:10 PM
On being married to Gena
"Must Love Dogs"
"Must Love Dogs"
How Loyal founder and CEO Celine Halioua sustains the energy to fight for human life extension, one canine at a time
builders.genagorlin.com
March 4, 2025 at 6:11 PM
"Must Love Dogs"
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
Why and how Henrik Karlsson raised his ambition
builders.genagorlin.com
February 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
The sound epistemics behind Boom's breaking of the sound barrier
The sound epistemics behind Boom's breaking of the sound barrier
Welcome to today’s installment of “Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them.”
builders.genagorlin.com
February 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The sound epistemics behind Boom's breaking of the sound barrier
A dance with serendipity
A dance with serendipity
How Nicole Ruiz’s path from Twitter to VC to homemaker exemplifies “the life of the mind”
builders.genagorlin.com
January 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
A dance with serendipity
Discussion thread #2: Your best examples of the "leaden mean"?
Discussion thread #2: Your best examples of the "leaden mean"?
Hello, dear readers!
builders.genagorlin.com
December 16, 2024 at 11:26 PM
Discussion thread #2: Your best examples of the "leaden mean"?
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 5th Installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 5th Installment
A nugget of wisdom from my walk with Sahil Lavingia
builders.genagorlin.com
December 2, 2024 at 6:10 PM
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 5th Installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them
builders.genagorlin.com
December 1, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them
A thanks to the human
A thanks to the human
This is a Thursday note edition of our Friday Note. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. The English language has a word for someone who, as a general trait, hates human beings and human nature: misanthropy. Moliere’s play The Misanthrope depicts its titular character, Alceste, as focused on people’s superficiality and hypocrisy. A better-known example might be Dickens’s Ebenezer Scrooge.
higherground.substack.com
November 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM
A thanks to the human
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 4th Installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 4th Installment
The story of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto—and why it's dedicated to his therapist
builders.genagorlin.com
November 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 4th Installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 3rd installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 3rd installment
“Every day I touched 50 faces” (Estée Lauder)
builders.genagorlin.com
November 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 3rd installment
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them
2nd installment
builders.genagorlin.com
November 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them