build-linux

I haven't tried this but I have used https://github.com/MichielDerhaeg/build-linux during my trainings and all my students quite enjoyed the experience. It basically builds a Kernel, libc, busybox, init etc. and gets the whole thing running inside qemu. I found it quite educational and worth the little time I spent on it.

When I started teaching myself I never thought it would take me so long. I made two mistakes: I didn't have direction (which you solved by asking a question) and I didn't build stuff. From this point forward you ought to pick one thing and build stuff. When I say pick one thing, I mean one learning resource at a time. Whether it is "automate the boring stuff" (which is a great resource I haven't read) or one of the resources that I'm linking to (they are different resources that have been suggested on HN in the past), or a suggestion from another comment. Pick one and work on it. It's all about making a decision and sticking to it until you have enough information to make a better decision. Find someone you can talk with about this stuff. It can get lonely if you don't know anyone who knows about this stuff. I'm available and would even w