Endless student syndrome
Sometimes, knowledge is only part of the issue. Access, and action are some of the others.
In the Matrix, Morpheus tells Neo:
“There’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.”
Learning more is a smart person’s favorite way to procrastinate.
The contemporary world has raised the bar higher than ever before. It literally invited you to gather the pace and accelerate even more.
Ultimately, it is not surprising that you try to be everywhere and do everything. You do your best to constantly gather tiny bits of information from as many channels as possible, because you are afraid that you will fall behind if you stop.
However, the problem is that you do everything except taking action.
All those activities do not take you closer to the things you want to accomplish. Better knowledge does not make you more influential, powerful, and successful unless you apply it.
The key secret to success is not excessive expertise, but the ability to use it.
Knowledge is worthless unless it is applied.
You should stop learning from someone else`s experiences, knowledge, failures, and wins and start learning from your own mistakes, adventures, achievements, and bold actions.
You consciously postpone the first step justifying this by your eagerness to broaden the knowledge and learn new things. You put the start date off justifying this by your desire to pick up new skills that would help you succeed faster. You procrastinate over chasing your own aspirations because doing the things on your own and creating your own story of success is far more complicated than reading about someone else`s one.
No one would really reproach you for wasting your time. Moreover, you feel comfortable about staying within this zone of ease and convenience forever.
Embrace the truth. No matter how good your theoretical knowledge is, you will face a lot of obstacles while applying it. You will have to deal with issues that have never been described or covered in any book. You will have to look for the solutions and make the spontaneous decisions that no one probably has ever thought of. You will have to design your own road to success.
Stop learning by consuming. Start learning by creating.
Stop learning by researching. Start learning by doing.
Stop learning by listening. Start learning by talking.
Stop learning by reading. Start learning by writing.
Stop learning by watching the game. Start learning by playing it.
Stop postponing. Start taking action.
Transform your learning process from the continuous the procrastination into an unstoppable process of absorbing invaluable expertise based on your own experience.
Constant learning, evaluating of ideas, thinking, and visualizing your journey towards your major aspirations will not take you far from the place you are now. Actions will.
You can sit and research, and research, and research, while someone else is already reaping huge rewards for his or her fruitful and hard work.
Stop learning now. Become bold enough to take the first step and start learning from your own experience.
Endless student syndrome
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFH-_exyNoo&list=PLVOspl3tsfnqbhpd_jQez4cwYnMDG9AmJ&index=43
(The speaker talks about this from the perspective of a music producer. But this applies equally well for a software engineer as well.)
A common trap that ensnares many music producers; the endless cycle of learning without application. We often wear the label of eternal student as a badge of honor, but if we are honest, sometimes it is merely a convenient shield. Because, it feels safer to say “I’m still learning” than to face the vulnerability of creating and sharing our finished music.
Learning is incredibly comfortable, but growth happens when we step outside of that comfort zone.
Lets address the elephant in the studio; the addiction to consumption. In the era of all-you-can-eat enlightenment, where the sum of near all music production knowledge is always at our fingertips, it is easy to fall into the trap of becoming perpetual learners. We are like kids in a candy store, eyes wide, hopping from one tutorial to another, seeking to amass an ever expanding treasure chest of knowledge, but lets pause and ponder.
Is this relentless pursuit of information leading us towards our goal of actually being better music producers? Or is it just a cleverly disguised form of procrastination?
We often get caught up in the illusion that learning more will make us better. And while education is indeed invaluable, its not the amount of information that matters, but what we do with it. Its like preparing for a marathon by reading about running shoes. Helpful - sure, but not enough to get you across the finishline.
The bridge between knowledge and skill is in application.
Its one thing to know the theory behind writing a great melody and quite another to actually do it yourself. This gap is where many get lost.
Application is the alchemy that transforms your acquired knowledge into gold.
Application turns knowledge into music that resonates and impacts on a deep level with others.
So how do we shift from passive learning to active application?
Well, here are three concepts that may serve as a rather helpful roadmap.
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Learn for a purpose.
Instead of aimlessly learning in a vacuum, focus on learning for a purpose by setting specific and achievable goals.
Pick a project that you’d like to finish and learn only what’s necessary for you to complete it.
This method ensures that your consumption of information is targeted and immediately applied.
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Limit your information intake.
Limit your information intake.
It is actually quite benefitial to do this. It is so easy to get hooked on the real thrill of learning something new. That dopamine hit when we uncover a new mixing technique or a sound design trick is genuine. So the next time you find yourself on Youtube, watching your 100th tutorial of the week, ask yourself, how will I actually use this in my music today?
Try imposing a limit on your research time each week.
For every hour spent in learning, perhaps dedicate two to application.
Finally..
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Share your work.
Share your work - even if its not what you deem to be perfect.
You must be brave and decide that a track is finished. Share your music with others, even if its not what you deem to be perfect. Feedback, whether positive or negative, is a really powerful tool for growth. Also by getting into the habit of declaring something finished and then moving on, you develop the embodied awareness of what it feels like to let go of a creation.
Let go of a creation.
Endless tweaking serves only as a tool to feel more lost and less empowered.
This in itself is one of the quickest ways to get better at music, because it is only in releasing your art that you can understand what it really means. Endless tweaking serves only as a tool to feel more lost and less empowered. You see, our music isn’t just a reflection of what we know, but how we use that knowledge to move, inspire and innovate.
Every piece of information is a tool, but it is entirely up to us to actually use these tools to craft our musical visions.
Remember the world doesn’t need any more music producers who know everything about compression ratios, but never actually share their work. The world need your music, your ideas, and your unique sound.
Its time to shift from being a consumer of information to a creator of experiences.
So, do us all a favor and close your browser and go and finish some heartflet music.
Combatting Continuous Learning Procrastination
Set Clear Goals
Define what you want to achieve. This provides a target to work towards and helps in determining when you’ve learned enough to take action.
Action-Oriented Learning
Shift your mindset from learning for the sake of learning to learning for the sake of action. For instance, if you’re learning about digital marketing, set up a small campaign after a basic module, rather than completing the entire course.
Limit Information Intake
Instead of attempting to consume all available content on a topic, pick one or two reputable sources, and stick to them.
Timers and Deadlines
Set a timer while learning. Once it goes off, switch to an actionable task. Deadlines can also force you to move from learning to doing.
Accountability
Share your goals with someone who can check in on your progress and remind you to take real action.
Embrace Imperfection
Understand that no one knows everything. Often, we learn best by doing and making mistakes along the way.
Reflect on the Root Cause
Regularly ask yourself why you might be avoiding action. If it’s fear, face it. If it’s a lack of confidence, take small actions to build it up.
Reward Taking Action
Celebrate when you move from learning to doing. This can shift the gratification from just learning to the combined process of learning and implementing.