A Project of One’s Own

Paul Graham’s essay A Project of One’s Own argues that working on self-chosen projects differs fundamentally from assigned tasks.

The Nature of Self-Directed Work

He describes it as “skating” rather than walking—more engaging and ultimately more productive. When pursuing self-directed work, people feel “awake and alive,” though not necessarily happy, since challenges and uncertainty persist.

The School Problem

Education systems treat “playing” and “hobbies” as separate from real work, obscuring how childhood tinkering connects to adult careers. “Schoolwork tends to be very different from working on projects of one’s own.”

This disconnect steers students away from the intrinsic motivation that produces exceptional work.

Two Dimensions of Ownership

Projects become “one’s own” through two mechanisms:

Voluntary engagement - pulling rather than being pushed
Autonomous execution - doing it your way

Graham illustrates this with his mathematician father, who owned math homework by treating problems as puzzles rather than assignments.

Organizational Success

The most innovative companies preserve individual engagement within collaborative structures. The original Macintosh team exemplified this—people like Andy Hertzfeld felt ownership despite collaborative effort, working enthusiastically without external coercion.

My Takeaway

Adults can recapture childhood’s “careless confidence” by deliberately choosing self-directed projects while maintaining awareness of their professional significance.