--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a builder, first and foremost." description: "\"I'm a builder, first and foremost.\" — Jamie Hyneman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png" --- # I'm a builder, first and foremost. ![“I'm a builder, first and foremost.” quote by Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png) > “I'm a builder, first and foremost.” [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He identifies primarily as a creator and problem‑solver, emphasizing construction as his core identity. **In simple terms:** He sees himself as a builder first. Key Takeaway Focus on building skills. Themes construction identity problem solving creativity Mood pragmatic inspirational Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - team projects - DIY repairs - product prototyping Key Concepts Engineering mindset hands‑on learning project leadership Questions to Reflect On - What do you build to express yourself? - How does building shape your worldview? A Different Perspective Building alone can limit collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Builder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder/) [Builder Foremost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder-foremost-1532624/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Foremost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foremost/) ## Related quotes > [First and foremost, it was fun. Everybody involved with it made you feel like they were an important contributor to the process. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-arkin/first-and-foremost-it-was-fun-everybody-involved-with-it-made-you/) [Adam Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-arkin/) > [I'm a musician, first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarface/i-m-a-musician-first-and-foremost/) [Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarface/) > [First and foremost, I married for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/first-and-foremost-i-married-for-love/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [I want to look at the whole package, but I definitely want to protect the middle-class taxpayer, first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hagan/i-want-to-look-at-the-whole-package-but-i-definitely-want-to-protect/) [Kay Hagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hagan/) > [First and foremost, it's got to be on the page. It starts with the writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ferrer/first-and-foremost-it-s-got-to-be-on-the-page-it-starts-with-the/) [Miguel Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ferrer/) > [Football will always be my foremost passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ginola/football-will-always-be-my-foremost-passion/) [David Ginola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ginola/) > [“I am first and foremost a catalist; I put people and situations together. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-hammer/i-am-first-and-foremost-a-catalist-i-put-people-and-situations/) [Armand Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-hammer/) > [First and foremost, I would like to start off by saying that just because my husband is an entertainer, that does not mean that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-mathers/first-and-foremost-i-would-like-to-start-off-by-saying-that-just/) [Kim Mathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-mathers/) > [The Old Vic has always been first and foremost an actors' theatre, a home for great talent and memorable performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/the-old-vic-has-always-been-first-and-foremost-an-actors-theatre-a/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [The White House is a huge organization, first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccurry/the-white-house-is-a-huge-organization-first-and-foremost/) [Mike McCurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccurry/) > [“Never give up! And write for yourself first and foremost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aminah-iman/never-give-up-and-write-for-yourself-first-and-foremost/) [Aminah Iman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aminah-iman/) > [Doing 'Malcolm and Eddie' was probably the foremost miserable years of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jamal-warner/doing-malcolm-and-eddie-was-probably-the-foremost-miserable-years-of/) [Malcolm-Jamal Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jamal-warner/) > [I shall always think of myself first and foremost... as a hunter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-shall-always-think-of-myself-first-and-foremost-as-a-hunter/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Yes, I mean like you know, having studied with Yehudi Menuhin that is like some direct route into Bach, because he was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-kennedy/yes-i-mean-like-you-know-having-studied-with-yehudi-menuhin-that-is/) [Nigel Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-kennedy/) > [I am a rugby player and first and foremost I am a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/i-am-a-rugby-player-and-first-and-foremost-i-am-a-man/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) ## More by Jamie Hyneman > [I really didn't think this was going to be a success. We did the first three episodes and I said to Adam, 'I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-really-didn-t-think-this-was-going-to-be-a-success-we-did-the-first/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Neither Adam or I are scientists, we're not engineers or anything of the sort. We just have a lot of fun and the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/neither-adam-or-i-are-scientists-we-re-not-engineers-or-anything-of/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [If you build a robot, you're welding, machining sculpting, casting, dealing with electronics and hydraulics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/if-you-build-a-robot-you-re-welding-machining-sculpting-casting/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [If I had one word to describe how I feel at never having to work with co-host Adam Savage again it'd be relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/if-i-had-one-word-to-describe-how-i-feel-at-never-having-to-work-with/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I pretty much just use my smartphone for phone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-pretty-much-just-use-my-smartphone-for-phone-calls/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I mean, we're - if I may say so - we're experts at using materials and processes in ways for which they were never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-mean-we-re-if-i-may-say-so-we-re-experts-at-using-materials-and/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [You know, when you look carefully at stuff that you deal with everyday, applying a little creativity to it and thinking outside the box,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/you-know-when-you-look-carefully-at-stuff-that-you-deal-with-everyday/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [We got a lot of gay fan mail when the show first started. Something to do with being in San Francisco and being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/we-got-a-lot-of-gay-fan-mail-when-the-show-first-started-something-to/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I'm like a race horse attached to a freight wagon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-like-a-race-horse-attached-to-a-freight-wagon/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Running out of material for 'MythBusters' is like saying, 'We've done everything we could possibly do and we're not curious or interested in anything.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/running-out-of-material-for-mythbusters-is-like-saying-we-ve-done/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I don't think our death ray is working. I'm standing right in it, and I'm not dead yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-don-t-think-our-death-ray-is-working-i-m-standing-right-in-it-and-i/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [There are a lot of scientists or other people who can be very skeptical or rational within their field, but they may well not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/there-are-a-lot-of-scientists-or-other-people-who-can-be-very/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [As it turns out, one of the biggest choices we have doing the show is deciding the tangents we are allowed to take, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/as-it-turns-out-one-of-the-biggest-choices-we-have-doing-the-show-is/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [One of our neighbors is a salami distributor, and they pretty well - I mean, we used their salami to make a rocket engine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/one-of-our-neighbors-is-a-salami-distributor-and-they-pretty-well-i/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [It's the results that are surprising, even results where we've totally screwed up, and then learned something in the process, are the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/it-s-the-results-that-are-surprising-even-results-where-we-ve-totally/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) [Explore all 133 Jamie Hyneman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) ## More Builder quotes > [The clatter of a changing world is not pleasant, and those who have enjoyed the comforts and protection of the old order may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-clatter-of-a-changing-world-is-not-pleasant-and-those-who-have/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [“You cannot permanently destroy what you didn't build because the builder can always choose to build again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khuliso-mamathoni/you-cannot-permanently-destroy-what-you-didn-t-build-because-the/) [Khuliso Mamathoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khuliso-mamathoni/) > [I'm kind of a builder of institutions. I think I've got some ability to look at what's out here, look at a playing field,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-m-kind-of-a-builder-of-institutions-i-think-i-ve-got-some-ability/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [The sport of wrestling is a tremendous builder of the values and characteristics which are needed to succeed in any walk of life. Much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hastert/the-sport-of-wrestling-is-a-tremendous-builder-of-the-values-and/) [Dennis Hastert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hastert/) > [I came to architecture from building. Because my father was a builder, everybody was - and is - a builder in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/i-came-to-architecture-from-building-because-my-father-was-a-builder/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [Builders insist that success may never come without a compelling personal commitment to something you care about and would be willing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-i-porras/builders-insist-that-success-may-never-come-without-a-compelling/) [Jerry I. Porras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-i-porras/) > [It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/it-is-interesting-that-termites-don-t-build-things-and-the-great/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [Donald Trump, as a businessman, he's not much of a builder and he's not much of dealmaker and he certainly isn't very good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/donald-trump-as-a-businessman-he-s-not-much-of-a-builder-and-he-s-not/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [I have discovered the secrets of the pyramids, and have found out how the Egyptians and the ancient builders in Peru, Yucatan and Asia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-leedskalnin/i-have-discovered-the-secrets-of-the-pyramids-and-have-found-out-how/) [Edward Leedskalnin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-leedskalnin/) > [I look on everything with a very optimistic eye. Because I'm a body builder by trade, you know, that was my intent all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-look-on-everything-with-a-very-optimistic-eye-because-i-m-a-body/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [But the virtues we get by first exercising them, as also happens in the case of the arts as well. For the things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/but-the-virtues-we-get-by-first-exercising-them-as-also-happens-in/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Ninety percent of my best friends back home are plumbers, electricians, builders, or landscapers. Most of our dads worked in trades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/ninety-percent-of-my-best-friends-back-home-are-plumbers-electricians/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [Our economy is broken. I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump. He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) [Browse all 296 Builder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a builder, first and foremost.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jamie Hyneman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Builder" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/jamie-hyneman-3349_builder_i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost-932864_932864.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a builder, first and foremost.” — Jamie Hyneman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jamie Hyneman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a builder, first and foremost.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-a-builder-first-and-foremost/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```