Balancing our Creating & Consuming
When I was 16, I got a job at the local Bertucci’s. IYKYK. One of the best parts of the gig - besides the rolls that we used to hide meatballs inside (sorry management!) - was the monthly lunch service. Every month, we got to taste the newest dishes so that we could better pitch them when asked for a recommendation.
We don’t do that so much anymore.
We don’t think about eating what we sell.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot.
The idea of finding balance between creation and consuming.
Linguistics are tricky. For the purposes of this discussion:
Definition of creating: the process of developing things that required action to bring them about. For example: developing, writing, designing, speaking, revising, practicing, etc.
Definition of consuming: the act of receiving, digesting and enjoying things. For example: reading, watching, listening, researching, reviewing, learning, etc.
What does it look like in action when things are out of balance, in a bad way?
Some examples:
The influencer who wants you to sign up for their workshop → but they haven’t attended any workshops - or even tried the tools they’re touting in their own
The LinkedIn AI Slop Creator → that doesn’t read anyone else’s AI slop
The senior leader who spends every meeting sharing their opinion → but they don’t listen to anyone else’s
The jobseeker who reads about interview and networking techniques → but they don’t put them into action
The manager who researches ways to motivate their team → but they don’t deliver feedback or create clear processes
It’s something I’ve been focusing a lot in my own work - and life.
Sometimes we create just to create - and to shove it off our plate onto someone else’s like a hot potato - but we never even take a look at what we created.
Or we consume mindlessly to enjoy ourselves - without pushing through the discomfort of taking a stab at creating.
Spoiler alert - it isn’t terrible to be on one side of the spectrum - as long as you are aware you chose that.
Sometimes I rot all day and mindlessly watch tv. There’s no expectation of creating. Just because you love podcasts and talking to friends doesn’t mean you need to make your own! It’s okay to journal non-stop and never re-read or do anything with it! You can fully enjoy improv practice and never want to get on a stage.
This is a push for us to simply notice in our lives and work where we tend towards creating or consuming, and take a moment to consider what the other side might look like.
Curious to try it out?
Here are some of ideas to encourage curiosity around creating and consuming:
#1 - Set a time limit on consuming - most of the time we just keep consuming without realizing we haven’t created. That may look like “just one more episode/chapter/tiktok” or it may look like “just one more DIY video to prepare before I begin.” Rather than hoping discipline will kick-in - set your own deadline. Whether you use screenzen, brick, a timer, a date on your calendar.
#2 - Create before consume - before you relax into sloth mode - hop up and do some household tasks. Or write out your to-do list and plan for the day before reading emails - don’t worry, you can refine your list, but let the initial draft be driven by you, not the fires in your inbox.
#3 - Designate creating time - put holds in your calendar for actioning - and celebrate once you’ve done it. Instead of hoping you’ll get to that long strategic vision deck - block your calendar and commit to it!
#4 - Guilt-free consuming - there’s nothing wrong with consuming. I’ll say it again for the folks in the back. It’s why writers write, painters paint, product managers product manage. These folks create FOR you to consume. So this isn’t to say never create - it’s to say, really lean in and enjoy the consuming. It’s good for you heart.
#5 - Consume → create - if there’s an area that you’ve been consuming and want to create - just try one thing. That may look like shifting from lurking to commenting/engaging (omg are you going to email me?!). Or you may take time to think about what you read or learned, and decide one way you’ll try it on this week to test it out.
If you’re looking to go deeper into this topic, you may want to work with me: