In this solo episode, Jacob tackles one of the most common struggles for aspiring creators: how to make the leap from passively consuming content to actively creating it. He shares practical strategies and a 7-day challenge to help overcome the psychological barriers that keep us stuck in consumption mode.

Key Insights:

🟢 Creation Paralysis: The fear of judgment and exposure prevents many would-be creators from taking their first steps, even when they feel a deep urge to create.

🟢 The Perfection Trap: We compare our beginner efforts to highly polished professional content, setting unrealistic expectations for our early work.

🟢 Starting Small: Personal creation begins as a selfish act for yourself before it becomes something for others. The key is setting extremely low barriers to begin.

🟢 Learning from Experience: Jacob shares his story of a failed podcast project (Hell's Theater) where overthinking and not publishing early enough killed the momentum.

5 Practical Strategies:1. Set an Input to Output Ratio

• For every hour of consumption, commit to creating for 15-20 minutes
• Start with simple acts like voice notes, journal entries, or rough sketches
• Take back some of the time that platforms fight for with an act of self-love

2. Consume with Intent

• Be selective and deliberate about the content you consume
• Choose content that feeds your creative needs and inspires you
• Study how creators you admire structure their work
• Remember: you are the algorithm, not the platforms

3. Start with Small, Private Acts of Creation

• Begin with low-pressure formats like voice memos or private journals
• Consider creating content on an anonymous blog with no analytics
• Focus on the act of creation rather than audience reaction
• Watch how the "what-ifs" dissolve when you take action

4. Design Your Environment for Creation

• Change your physical space to escape consumption habits
• Break the automatic cycle of reaching for your phone
• Consider writing in cafes, co-working spaces, or different rooms
• Pay attention to your overall headspace and morning routine

5. Break Down Big Dreams into Small Steps

• Divide overwhelming goals into manageable milestones
• Recognize the space between where you are and where you want to be
• Accept that the journey takes time and requires building progressive skills
• Dream Plotter tool (dream.itwasjacob.com) can help map this journey

7-Day Challenge to Start Creating:

Day 1: Identify your big dream and honestly assess where you are now

Day 2: Create something tiny related to your dream for just 15 minutes

Day 3: Find a new environment and create there for 20 minutes

Day 4: Audit your consumption habits - what are you consuming and why?

Day 5: Increase creation time to 25 minutes and try a different format

Day 6: Share something you've created with one trusted person

Day 7: Reflect on the week and plan sustainable next steps

Final Thoughts:

The benefits of creation come primarily from the act itself rather than distribution. Focus on going from 0 to 1, not on building an audience or making money immediately. The goal is to start spending some of the time you use for endless scrolling on creation instead.

"The magical creation isn't actually in the act itself, not necessarily in the distribution... The personal benefits, the fulfillment, the growth, developing your own voice, that all comes just from the acts of creation."Resources:

🟢 Dream Plotter: Free tool at dream.itwasjacob.com to help break down creative goals into manageable steps

🟢 Share something you made: email [email protected]

Coming Next Week:

Join Jacob and Matthew as they discuss the difference between amateur and professional creators - but remember, you need to start creating first to have the privilege of figuring out how to become a professional!