Born to Synthesise

"Produce more than you consume"

...is some advice that I came across recently. It was in the context of ways to get rich or something self-helpy like that but it spoke to me on a personal level because I've been reflecting that I don't create as much as I used to.

In fact, I consume more than ever before, probably. At least it feels that way because there's certainly a lot more to consume. For example, there's the ever renewed crowdsourced content feed from the likes of Youtube and other social apps. Also smartphones allow for cramming consumption into every otherwise unoccupied small moment in the day.

Anyway, reflecting on "produce more than you consume" further, I'm leaning towards declaring that in some ways production is required to consume properly.
If there's nothing coming out, then is anything actually going in?
I'm certain that our experiences leave an imprint on our character whether we can regurgitate them in whole or not. However, taking the time to create, especially if it's directly related to something you've consumed, often forces a deeper appreciation for "content" (or your environment) in general. You get more from your experience by reflecting on it, and even more by flexing your creative muscles in general.

When you synthesise and materialise new ideas you become a more active participant in your own reality, even if nobody is consuming what you're putting out there.

Reviewing what you've just read or watched is a simple and direct example. You get a sense of that just by chatting to friends - that counts as far as I'm concerned.
Another example is still life drawing or even photography; both make you take in the world around you with more keen eyes.
In a more indirect way, taking the time to create provokes a sense of empathy for other creators. That, in turn, also changes your focus when you're consuming. It's often a wonder to appreciate art where the impact of the end result that you're consuming is clearly so much more than the sum of its parts.

So this is my step towards to better, more mindful consumption by regaining a healthier balance with my volume of production.

Born to Synthesise is a phenomenal track and a phrase that I once embraced as a personal life motto. I'm rebuilding the present-day evidence to reclaim that slice of my personal identity.