In our age of unlimited content, we’re swimming in a sea of self-help resources—books, podcasts, articles, newsletters. The possibilities seem endless, and so does the pressure to keep consuming. But at what point does the self-help journey we’re on stop being about personal growth and start turning into a self-hindrance? Are we learning, or are we just consuming, chasing that next piece of wisdom instead of doing something meaningful with it?
The concept of “consuming versus creating” rings true here. Consuming knowledge is essential, but when it becomes an addiction to the next podcast, the next book, the next article, it’s time to stop and question. Without execution, all that “inspiration” is just empty calories. We’ve all been there: bingeing on information while our real-life progress stalls.
Intentional consumption is the key here. Are you consuming to improve yourself or to teach others, or are you simply “collecting knowledge” because it feels productive?
One of the best ways to approach self-help is by borrowing a classic concept from the medical field: learn one, do one, teach one. Absorb the knowledge, put it into action, then share it. If each piece of content were treated this way, we’d not only consume less but actually integrate what we’re learning.
One powerful approach is “just-in-time learning.” Not all information is relevant to where we are in life right now. We need to ask ourselves, “Is this immediately actionable for me?” For instance, reading a book on startup growth strategies when you're already running a mature business might be more distraction than help. If it’s not something you can apply to your life now, it might be best to save it for later.
Take Elon Musk as an example. In his biography by Walter Isaacson, we learn one of Musk's superpowers: his ability to focus by saying no to distractions. This is “just-in-time” execution at its finest—only prioritizing what truly aligns with immediate goals. It's a practice we can adopt ourselves, no matter how tempting it is to explore everything that comes our way.
This leads us to the idea of “burning knowledge calories.” Think of knowledge like food: it can fuel you, but if you’re only storing it and never using it, it can weigh you down. The real value in self-help comes when we “burn” those calories—putting ideas into practice and, just as importantly, sharing what we’ve learned with others. Before diving into another book or podcast, we can ask ourselves, “Have I acted on the last one? Have I shared its insights?”
So here’s the challenge: next time you consume a piece of content, put it to work. Make it a rule to apply at least one actionable insight before moving on to the next resource. And if you’re looking for a real challenge, share what you learned with others in a way that they can benefit too.
Self-help isn’t a marathon of consumption. It’s a cycle of consuming with purpose, taking action, and giving back. So let’s burn those knowledge calories—by learning, doing, and teaching—transforming self-help into something that truly serves us.
Listen to the full podcast episode where Justin King and I discuss this concept here.
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