new to hacking, whats a pointless hack?

i need a goal to set for myself. what is a hack that really has no real use? maybe tracers? or something like that? i just want a goal to set for myself. or what fundamentals should i work on first? i dont want to become one of these leaches everyone rags on, i want to do original work and create my own original pieces to share with the community.. it just seems kind of overwhelming at first and im just reaching out for guidance (like an ebook or something or a series of tutorials).