We always think we need to consume before we can create. We watch all of the knitting videos before we decide to just experiment with the needle and yarn. We take all the classes and get all the certificates before we decide to step into the professional world for hands-on experience. We read all the books about living a healthier lifestyle before we ever actually show up to live it.
Especially in a digital world, we all have a tendency to consume more than we create. How can we not? We have unlimited access at our fingertips. But how much is too much? And what do we do with what we consume?
Too much consumption leads people down a path of stagnancy, of overloading themself with information that has no direction or place to be channeled. It causes feelings of restlessness, frustration, anxiety, and possibly even depression.
Using what we consume to help us create is the way to go, but we often let things like fear and indecisiveness stop us from ever doing that. Let’s explore consuming versus creating to help you get real about whether you’re a feeler-outer or an action-taker and how you can flip the script to become an all-star player in your life.
Understanding Consuming vs. Creating
Do you consider yourself a consumer or a creator?
If you’re someone who is known to take action instead of watching from the sidelines, you’re most likely a creator. If you find yourself spending more time taking in things to see how you feel about them but don’t often look to do anything about it, chances are, you’re a consumer.
It’s all about what we take in versus what we put out. While it’s impossible (and unproductive) to ignore consumption, it is monumental to establish which side of the fence you lean on more.
Consumers
Consumers use or utilize something that has been produced or created by someone else. When you watch a movie, read a book, or listen to a podcast, you’re consuming someone else’s creative work but what are you doing with what you consume? What’s the intention? The primary goal of consumption is to satisfy a need or desire for entertainment, information, or education.
Creators
Creators, on the other hand, produce or make something new in an innovative way. They take their ideas, skills, and resources to generate something they believe is valuable for others. Writing a book, composing music, or becoming a mentor are all examples of creative activities. How can you offer a solution to a problem? How can you make a change? The goal here is to create something that has the potential to inspire or inform others.
Action-Takers vs. Feelers
Action-takers create and feelers consume. You’re either producing the value or taking in the value of others. Both are important. Feelers can become action-takers with the right intention setting, balance, and discipline. Feelers will critically consume concepts, gain inspiration, then take action to create something new.
Action-Takers
Action-takers are deliberate and intentional about what they consume. They’re conscious of how much time they spend consuming, establishing a balance between what they take in and what they put out into the world.
Feelers
Feelers are passive and reactive about what they consume, but they don’t take action based on it. They don’t think about what content or experiences could add value to their current goals. Instead, these things just happen naturally as part of everyday life.
How to Flip the Script on Consuming vs. Creating
Controlling what we consume is about deciding what our intentions are and whether it’s helping us progress (action-taker) or keeping us motionless (feeler). Consider how your personality and the way you exercise the powers of your positive intelligence affect your ability to take action or prevent you from feeling fulfilled in life.
Be A Deliberate, Active Consumer
It’s easy to get caught in the news cycle or social media feeds or tutorials, and that’s okay. When you’re scrolling through social media or reading the news, ask yourself what you really want to see and why. Does it align with your values and goals? Does it contribute something positive to the things you want to create?
Actively consuming is about engaging with the content, and thinking critically about how it can benefit you and others so you can be a part of the solution.
Choose Action Over Fear
Feelers focus more on consumption, and most times, they don’t take action on what they consume out of fear of the outcome. Fear can paralyze you but action can free you. Get uncomfortable often enough so that being uncomfortable becomes familiar territory for you. Then, work on your fears instead of letting them hold you back from progressing in your life. Getting unstuck and boosting a breakthrough moment comes when you realize whether you’re acting out of fear or self-love and passion.
It’s Time to Stop Consuming and Start Creating
Creators find themselves thinking about how to solve problems or improve something, then taking the steps to create the resolution. They make plans and aren’t afraid to establish discipline in their lives. They’re not afraid to do hard things to help move forward with their lives.
It’s better to try things out and learn from doing instead of thinking you’ll get more out of consuming. You’ll never know how far along this journey you’ve come until you can look back one day after reaching your goals knowing you kept going despite the challenges.
If you want helpful tools about how to become an action-taking creator, reach out to me. After a decade of coaching and over 500 clients under my belt, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to support those who feel unsure about how to take what they consume and put it into something creative.
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