I am staring at my business related receipts for tax deductions. How many professional courses have I purchased last year? I bought two big business coaching programs, these 5-figure numbers are painfully carved into my memory. But besides that, how many? One course from Tammy. No, two! A course from Jacob. Another training from this other Academy. And one more coaching session? Oh, come on, Shamina, too! How could I forget?!
I bought them, and put almost all of them aside until I had time. No, I have completed one expensive business coaching and started another. It’s a lifetime membership, I can always do it. I finished Shamina’s course, and, perhaps, only because we did it together with a friend.
How much money have I spent on education? And how much of it have I spent on things I haven’t even started?
Yeah, I am a spender when it comes to perfumes, shoes and learning.
Darn. I wish I could put education on like a pair of pumps.
Devouring Information
I know, I am only buying trainings now because I don’t believe in books anymore.
Don’t get me wrong, books are good. They are cheap, we buy them, swallow them along with the covers within a few days without chewing, then put them on a shelf — physical or electronic. Get inspired for a few days, then forget almost 95% of what we got, and move on without regret.
Sounds familiar?
From 23rd out of 30 nations in a most-to-least reading list we did with reading what we do with almost everything — conjured it to be fast. Fast knowledge, fast stories, fast self-help. We simply have no time to read.
Some might even call us “perpetual students.” We believe accumulating knowledge is the key to transformation. YouTube, podcasts, workshops — we suck them all in like a sponge and carry the proud hat of an avid learner not even noticing that it has holes in it. Because somehow, this hasn’t gotten us too far….
The problem isn’t the knowledge. It’s what we do with it.
Knowledge is Not Information
It’s not enough to know of something. We need to internalize the knowledge.
When we learn something new and actually apply it, our brain rewards us with shots of dopamine. But if we only consume information without doing anything with it, we start chasing that hit of novelty for its own sake. We are getting drunk on sucking in the words and printing the new t-shirt that says “I read that.”
Self-help on the rocks. Cherry on top, please!
That’s not transformation. That’s distraction. Replacement.
I am even tempted to say that it’s “fake” knowledge, but I won’t go that far. Sometimes we do get a good punch in the gut by a good book. Sometimes it gets us. Sometimes it’s enough. But “sometimes” is not a reliable path to deliberate change.
So what brings the guarantee?
It’s painfully simple.
Repe-freaking-tition
“Practice is the basis of cognition” — it was my exam subject in Logic in 10th grade. Practice is the basis of cognition and the criterion of truth. I got an A. I should really know it.
We can’t think our way into a new life. Practice takes us to acting our way into one. Real change starts when we move from talking about growth to actually living it. That space — where we take the leap, risk failure, show up imperfectly, apply the knowledge, test how it went, adjust and reapply, — that’s where transformation can begin.
But it’s also exactly where a lot of people check out. Because for some of us transformation may be painful. That’s why for many, devouring knowledge becomes a safe space. Sitting with a book on a wide window sill, cuppa coffee next to me, floor lamp, cozy cushion.
There. No mess. Looking pretty. Perfect for the feed.
Click.
Repetition is good when we repeat the right thing. Repetition without real action becomes a loop, learning without living.
But even action may not be enough.
The Secret Of Knowledge
Whaaaaat? There is yet another secret? — you ask me, and will be completely within your right to be angry. Why does it have to be so complicated? Can’t we just simply go back to good old reading? Do we have to build frameworks every single time?
Yep, sir/ma’am. In the world of fast living that consists of fast food, fast relationships and fast knowledge, if you want something to stick, you have to make an effort.
Reading is not enough, you need to practice what you learned. Practice is not enough, you need to refine what you practice, tailor it to who you are and what you want your life to be. Tailoring is not enough because if you don’t know The Secret, you will fall flat on your face when the first true challenge wants to bring you down on your knees. And if you got The Secret wrong, you won’t get too far at all.
So, what’s the secret?
The Secret is — Purpose.
Even thought-through action without purpose can fall flat. If we don’t have a clear “why” behind the effort, we will escape the real work and may inevitably slip into old habits.
Purpose fuels consistent action. It grounds us when things get hard. And it reignites the fire when we get burned out. It gives us courage, and it’s all we need. We don’t have to be perfect. We just need to move forward — even if it seems like we crawl. Even if the move is messy or emotional.
Because with Purpose it will be real.
Real transformation is not intellectual. It’s embodied. We don’t just understand it — we feel it, practice it, and live it.
Are You High on Learncohol?
Just ask yourself, all of this studying, — am I putting it on like a pair of shoes, or am I letting it sink? Am I collecting books like Olympic medals and avoiding real change? Is real change scary or overwhelming? Am I stuck in a cycle of learning that only feels productive but keeps me from actually moving forward? Or am I simply high on the dopamine loop that comes with never-ending learning, along with my well-read trophies on those bookshelves?
If you’re honest, you might realize you’re not afraid of failing, but you might be afraid of feeling. So if it’s a yes, it’s time to think of a learning detox. And then it’s simple.
Your Purpose — your tools (books, courses, frameworks) — your action.
Stop consuming — start transforming.
You can change your life. It doesn’t have to be massive at first. It may be very simple. In fact, the simpler it is, the higher your chances of success. You don’t have to be a hero.
You just have to show up.
