Develop a Creation Bias Now

Stop the endless consumption and start creating! Trust me you'll thank me for it!

Constant distraction and information overload is the constant state we are all in. We consume and we consume more without hardly creating anything (well we are not counting the fort you created with empty beer cans!). We have an innate need to consume and hoard. Opening tab after tab of articles and news, mindlessly spending hour after hour.

Just now, I came to the Medium website determined to start working on today's post only to get distracted by a couple of the amazing posts with clickbaity headlines and appealing visuals on the homepage mere seconds after I came to the page and before I knew it I was in deep and had 20 different posts open in different tabs and had also saved a few ready to come back to them in the future!

As I sat there amazed at the seductive pull of consumption, I got reminded of this very interesting notion of Infinity Pools which is a term I came across recently. Infinity pools are essentially infinite sources of information, hyper-fuelling our consumption drives! Don't let them lure you in for a swim.

"Infinity Pools are always-on, effectively infinite sources of information and entertainment. Things like:

→ Pull-to-refresh apps (Facebook, Mail, Instagram, Twitter, etc)

→ Video streaming services (YouTube, Netflix, HBO, etc)

→ Even web browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc), which provide on-demand access to pretty much all the information in the world.

I call them "Infinity Pools" because you can dip back in at any time. There's always more water in the pool." - John Zeratsky and Jake Knapp in the book Make Time

Further Reading - Distractions are a Nuisance, but Infinity Pools are the Real Proble

Well, I can keep going on and on about the mindless, endorphin boosting, time-sucking, black hole of a habit that consumption is. That false sense of achievement and progress we get when we watch a documentary on history or read that interesting book about artificial intelligence or an article teaching you how to milk cows! You get the point.

We have to fight to bring that under our control. Even learning, which can make you satisfied and productive, can just be an act of consumption, unless you put it to action.

We love cuddling in the cozy warmth and comfort that consumption gives us.

Don't let consumption kill your creativity!

Sadly, there's a huge gap in how much we create when compared to the amount we consume. All of us have an innate desire to create, although the fear of failure and inertia stop us. Stoke that creative fire in you. Define yourself by what you create and contribute to the world. It's a far more rewarding and satisfying way to use our time and energy to create.

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Step out of the comfort zone, create something and put yourself out there! It's terrifying I know! Every writer, musician, and artist knows the sheer terror when they create something and put it out for the world to see and judge. They know the risk and fear of being laughed at but they have learned to keep creating despite that fear. Develop that resilience and put your creative lens on.

Adopt a creation bias. Look at everything with that lens. Seek out opportunities to create. When you find yourself bored and reaching for the TV remote ask yourself if you can create something instead. When you start a book, think about the best way to put that information to use.

Having a bias for creation doesn't have to mean zero consumption. It means that you have to strike a good balance and find out the right amount of consumption that works. And of course, all great artists steal, so consume away but in a balanced and mindful way! Consume to create!

"Good Artists copy; Great Artisits steal "- Pablo Picasso

Simple Ideas on how to develop a creation bias:

• Start writing - start simple, your thoughts on what you read. Start expanding your thoughts and building on your ideas as you progress.

• Have an action plan when you learn something - When you learn something - build a project with it, write a book or teach someone. Have an action plan to put it into practice when you learn something.

• DIY projects - Decide to build something - it can be furniture, pottery, your very own spaceship!

• Cook - Cook something and try creating a few of your own recipes along the way.

• Photography - Stop them selfies and think about taking photographs of others or nature.

• Compose music / play an instrument

• Make videos - Consider making tutorial videos, funny videos.

• Podcasts - Consider starting your own podcasts.

• Build a business - Start a side hustle or a business.

A lot of us get stuck with the mindset that we are not creative enough or skilled enough! Crush that tiny voice in your head! If everyone gave in to the voice, there would be no creators. Take that first step and get your creation bias on!

Create more the world needs it and more importantly, you need it!