A 5-step guide to stop consuming and start creating

Jul 24, 2025

Hi everyone,

For the past few weeks, I’ve been exploring a question that's been on my mind for years: why does consuming so much information often lead to feeling so stuck?

Like many of you, I'm a procrastinator. I can spend hours reading articles and watching videos, feeling productive, only to realise I haven't actually achieved or created anything. I call this the "Consumption Loop", and I've come to believe it's one of the biggest barriers to real growth.

To help us all break free, I've published a series of five articles here on Substack, outlining a complete mindset shift. Think of this as your guide to moving from being a passive "Knowledge Collector" to an active "Skill Builder".

Here is the 5-step journey to get you started:

Step 1: Recognise the Two Paths

The first step is understanding the difference between the "Consumption Loop" and the "Creation Spiral". One keeps you stuck, the other creates real momentum. Are you a collector or a builder?

Step 2: Understand the Dopamine Trap

Why is the loop so addictive? It's not a lack of willpower; it's brain chemistry. This article explains how dopamine, the "motivation chemical", tricks your brain into seeking content over creating it.

Step 3: Give Yourself Permission to Be a Beginner

The biggest emotional barrier to creating is the fear of looking stupid. Here, we talk about why it's crucial to give yourself permission to be terrible at something new and introduce the "First 20 Hours" rule.

Step 4: Reframe "Learning in Public"

The idea of sharing your work can be terrifying. This post debunks the myth that it's for experts. Instead, it's a powerful tool for beginners to learn faster by sharing their process, not just their finished product.

Step 5: Embrace "Just-in-Time" Learning

The final mindset shift is to stop hoarding information "just-in-case" and start learning "just-in-time". This is about letting your projects guide your learning, so you only learn what you need, right when you need it.

My hope is that these articles give you a new lens through which to see your own learning process.

This is just the foundation. Now that we've covered the mindset, the next series of posts will focus on the practical frameworks and methods for building skills.

Thanks for reading,

Mark

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