Consuming Content | Draining Content Creators Dry

Consuming content has become a byword. We all want to learn and grow personally and professionally. To that end, we read or listen to books, watch videos, take online courses, and consume any number of other types of content.

Have you ever stopped to consider whether or not the content you’ve consumed has actually generated a beneficial transformation in your business?

How do we get the most benefit from the information we read, watch, or listen to? How do we drain these content creators dry?

Let’s get… draining!

You’ll find highlights below. Watch the livestream recording or listen to the podcast version on your favorite podcatcher for all the details!

Listen to or Download the Audio Podcast

Consuming Content | Draining Content Creators Dry | Show Notes

Where do you get your information? If you’re watching a video online, taking a course (online), or listen to an audiobook or attend a webinar, the vehicle for the information may be an obstacle to implementation.

Let me explain. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts, I watch influencers on Youtube listen to podcasts.

When we consume content isn’t the choice of HOW we consume it equally important to WHAT we consume?

Until recently I hadn’t thought about it.

The Purpose of Content

What’s the first thing to consider when deciding how to consume content of one variety or another?

What is the outcome you expect? What is your purpose?

If your interest is recreational then look no further.

On the other hand. If you expect to grow or improve either yourself or your business then it’s time to take stock of how you will integrate what you absorb into your life.

Length of Content & Practicality

The typical audiobook that I read seems to be about six to eight hours long. When I thought about the amount of information that can be conveyed in six hours of the spoken word it occurred to me how little of that content I must be integrating into my life and business.

Let’s face it, even remembering the key points you hear on a 40-minute workout or 30-minute commute will be evasive especially when you get to the office and the deluge of distractions that come with actually doing your job. 

I don’t think it’s necessary to memorize a book but I do think we lose a lot of value if we don’t put something in place to help us get the most out of the time we spend learning.

If you’re watching, reading, or listening to recreational media then it probably doesn’t matter too much until trivia night. On the other hand, if you’re trying to make a meaningful change in your life or business well that’s another story, isn’t it?

Informational vs. Transformational Content

In the first section, I brought up the idea of recreational versus educational content. Now, I want to take a step further. We’ll assume that the content we’re consuming is in the ‘educational’ category since we’re trying to use it to improve our businesses.

Now let’s break it down into two more categories; informational and transformational.

This is an important distinction because it allows us to set different goals and boundaries around different content types so we can get the most benefit from each as efficiently as possible.

I want to add something here. What is ‘informational’ in one situation may be ‘transformational’ in another so there’s no right or wrong. There’s simply a different perspective on a given topic.

Informational Content

Informational content is the kind of subject matter that we want to be exposed to but we don’t feel will fundamentally change (transform) our business. In my case, the book “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss fell into this category. I wanted to begin developing a working understanding of negotiation but I don’t plan on becoming an FBI Hostage Negotiator. 

In the case of informational content, I’ve found it’s okay to read, listen, or watch in a more passive way and still get the ‘gist’ of it. 

If your business enters into new and unique contracts regularly… this same book might have a more direct impact on your day to day operations and thus have the potential to be transformative.

So let’s talk about that.

Transformational Content

Here’s where we have high expectations for a piece of content and where, if we don’t engage it with intent, that expectation can fall flat.

When we read content that we expect to provide us information that will allow us to fundamentally change part of our business… transform it… we need to give that content the attention it deserves.

For me, that means making sure I have some way of actively connecting what I’m reading (or listening to or watching…) to my business operations. 

And that means it is the primary focus of my attention.

Create space to consume content that you believe will be transformative. 

It’s okay if it turns out not to be as meaningful as you expected… you can revert to the ‘informational’ category and move on.

A Sidebar for Content Creators

Okay, not much of a sidebar since we’re all becoming content creators these days!

How does your audience use your content? Are they listening in the car? Will they be able to take action when they hear something important to them, read: transformational? 

With all the media being produced it is going to be increasingly important to make content that is accessible, digestible and easily transformed into impact by our audience.

How is your content transformed into impact?

Practical Action

• Dedicate the time and take notes.
• Stop electronic media and restart when informational changes to transformational.
• As content creators - consider how your audience will consume the content that you create and find ways to help them use and integrate the information.

Additional Resources

Don't just take my word for it...

https://copyblogger.com/smart-content-consumption/

https://www.the1thing.com/blog/the-one-thing/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-audiobook/

https://castos.com/podcast-show-notes/