“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use – do the work you want to see done.”—Austin Kleon
CONSUMING VS CREATING
What did Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein have in common? They both left behind more for the world than they took from the world.
People remember Leonardo da Vinci for his impressive achievements in a wide range of fields, including art, science, engineering, and more. His notebooks demonstrate his incredible creativity and drive to create and innovate. They contain thousands of pages of his observations, ideas, and designs.
Similarly, Albert Einstein was best known for his theory of relativity, but all of his discoveries have profoundly impacted science and technology. In addition to his scientific work, he was an accomplished violinist and advocated for social justice. He was a prolific writer and published hundreds of papers and articles on a wide range of topics.
Consuming is the act of taking in information. You consume when listening to music, appreciating art, scrolling through social media, watching your favorite TV shows, and reading books. Creating is the act of releasing information. You create when playing music, painting on a canvas, releasing content on TikTok, filming videos, and writing a book. What you create is the mark you leave behind on this world.
Most people consume while creators are the minority. Learn how to have balance. Don’t spend too much time embodying a consumer who spends all of their time admiring the few creators who are releasing their ideas. Creative geniuses are visionaries actively transforming their thoughts into reality. They are constantly aware that nobody praises them for the ideas trapped inside their minds. They are the movers and shakers of the world because they cycle between consuming and releasing their inspiration. There’s balance.