Is this the habit that’s quietly destroying your creativity? 

Education is important, but if you want to realize your dreams, you have to take action. 

Never before have we had access to more life-changing information than we do today. 

We walk around with the proverbial Library of Alexandria in our pockets, giving us access to the sharpest minds, the clearest ideas, and the most in-depth and up-to-date knowledge we could ask for. 

When used correctly, the device in your pocket can alter the very trajectory of your career and your life. 

And that’s an amazing gift of the modern world. 

But sometimes, that gift can become a curse. 

Getting stuck 

If you’re anything like me, you love to learn. 

But when left unchecked, learning can become a distraction and an impediment to progress. 

And we’ve all done it. 

You head to YouTube because you want to learn something—let’s say you want to level up your marketing game—but the next thing you know, an hour has passed and you’re trapped in tutorial hell. 

You’ve become addicted to the knowledge, not the outcome. 

And it’s not just YouTube. 

It’s the internet. 

The core issue is that getting stuck in the endless cycle of scrolling through suggested content switches your brain from “creator” mode to “consumer” mode. 

The two are mutually exclusive. 

And both are addictive. 

What starts in a good place—a desire to acquire knowledge that you intend to put to use—often ends in a bad place—mindless scrolling or getting lost in comments and chats. 

A better way 

Look, there’s nothing wrong with consuming content to level up your knowledge (and, hopefully, your life). 

But too much of anything can be bad. 

So instead of endlessly “researching” open-ended ideas, I try to force myself to look up specific answers to specific problems that I am currently attempting to solve. 

And once I find the solution, I turn off the input and pivot back to output. 

Now I will be the first to tell you that this doesn’t always work. 

I’m human like anyone else, and I get stuck in the “scroll” sometimes too, but I do find that my creative output improves in both quality and quantity when I’m able to stick to this method. 

I also avoid social media altogether during certain times of the day or when I’m working on specific projects. 

Then I’ll give myself a window of time where I’m “allowed” to check the latest updates from the handful of accounts I pay attention to. 

Because consuming is part of the game too. 

If you want to create great work, you need creative fuel like reading, watching, and listening to ideas that inspire you. 

You just can’t get stuck in that space forever. 

Time to move 

Ultimately, though, no amount of learning or information can replace the one thing that will truly change your life for the better. 

Taking action. 

For every “guru” you see online, there are thousands more who have consumed nearly every piece of content they have with nothing to show for it. 

Because they haven’t taken action and put that knowledge to use. 

They’ve gotten trapped in the endless cycle of “more”. 

But if you are one of the select few who can cultivate enough self awareness (and self control) to break free of scrolling and commit to creating and releasing work of your own, then the world is yours. 

Because the foundation of a fulfilling creative career lies in creating. 

Making things that other people enjoy and find valuable. 

Things your audience will ultimately pay you to make so you can give them more of what they want. 

So don’t completely write off consuming content and learning new ways to move the ball forward in your creative career. 

Just don’t get stuck in the cycle of endless learning (and endless procrastination) without putting those newfound skills to use.