Consuming endless information is the current vice of all creatives.
There’s so much information out there and you think you need to keep learning and keep learning and keep learning. So you buy more books, read blogs, and watch YouTube videos.
Eventually it all starts to sound the same and you realize you haven’t actually created a single thing.
As someone who has been working as a writer for over a decade, I’ve been in both areas. I’ve been able to build a successful copywriting business, but there are a ton of side projects I forget about these rules and continuously fall into the learning trap.
How to get out of this rut
The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “What is the smallest, easiest step I can take to start?”
No matter what your creative idea is, there’s always a way to start that you can knock off immediately.
Tip: This CANNOT BE MORE LEARNING.
If you’re currently stuck in the hell of reading and consuming too much, the last thing you want to do is consume. Ban yourself from reading books or blogs for one week and just jump in to what you know you can do.
We’re so lucky to live in a world where there is so much information, but if it’s not applied then it doesn’t matter.
The person who simply takes action, even imperfect action, will be miles ahead of the person who reads information endlessly.
The cost of not taking action
If you choose to not take action, it’s only your goals and dreams on the line.
Usually, you won’t feel the hurt of not taking action in the immediate future, but you’ll feel it in burning regrets years later.
You can keep reading books and thinking you’re making progress all you want, but until you’re taking steps forward, it’s all just smoke and mirrors.
Action vs motion
The reason we love to consume information is that it feels like action. When you read a new book or blog, you feel like you’re taking steps. “I’m learning!”
This is actually just like treading water.
When you’re treading water, you’re moving your arms constantly but you’re not actually going anywhere. You’re staying in place.
When you’re swimming strokes, you’re actually moving. It’s more effort, but that’s the point.
The more effort you put in, the better results you see for your entire life.
Writing The Stories 