Hey Creative Souls!
In a world overflowing with information, it’s easy to get lost in the endless stream of content, but how much of it is truly helping us grow? This month’s edition of Creative Insights is all about shifting our focus from consumption to creation.
What do you think is the most valuable asset we all own? Is it money, our house, or maybe our car? What if I told you that it's something far more precious, something we often overlook? Once it’s gone, there’s no getting it back.
It’s our time ⏰.
When it comes to money, we’re careful. We budget, plan, and track every cent. But when it comes to time, why don’t we do the same? The reality is, if we lose money, we can always earn it back. But when time is gone, it’s gone forever. So, just like we budget our money, we need to be mindful of how we budget and track our time, because how we spend our time is ultimately what shapes our lives.
We live in a time of information overload: phones, books, emails, games, endless shopping, news, podcasts, just to name a few. The technology revolution has brought an explosion of content, and most of us end up consuming more than we create.
Ever heard of the 90-9-1 rule? It states that 90% of people on the internet are just passive consumers. Around 9% engage with content, and only 1% actually creates. It was really surprising for me to find out that on average, young people now spend over 5.5 hours a day on social media. Shocking!
So, why do we consume so much? The truth is, humans are wired to seek shortcuts. We crave instant gratification and quick dopamine hits. This constant search for what’s easy and convenient is what keeps us glued to our screens, mindlessly scrolling instead of engaging in meaningful activities.
Here’s the thing: everything we do requires attention. Whether it’s waking up, getting ready, working, or unwinding at night, we invest our attention in every task. And attention is a very limited commodity that we have. The famous author and psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to attention as psychic energy in his book Flow.
We’re constantly bombarded by notifications and updates, all craving for our attention. But how much of this can we actually process before it overwhelms us? If we’re not careful, we end up consuming content just because it’s there, without any real purpose.
I’m not saying content consumption is bad. Staying informed and entertained is important. But we need to consume with intention. We should be focusing on content that helps us grow, learn, and develop our skills. This kind of intentional consumption can take many forms: reading books, listening to podcasts, watching informative videos, and more.
When we consume with the goal of learning, we not only enhance our own abilities but also gain knowledge we can share with others. This is where creation comes in.
Once you adopt a learning-and-creating mindset, it’s important to build a roadmap to spend your free time productively. Start by:
In a world designed to keep us consuming, let’s challenge ourselves to create more. Being mindful about how we spend our time, investing in activities that help us grow, and sharing our creations with the world. These are the steps that lead to a more meaningful life.
Thank you for joining me in this edition of Creative Insights. Let’s start thinking creatively about how we use our most valuable asset—our time. Remember, the world needs your unique contributions. Let’s make it a better place, one creation at a time.