How Content Creation Freed Me From Material Obsession
Article #126 of Life Unlocked - A newsletter by Dr Yath Prem, MD
Dear Friends,
I've noticed something peculiar about myself this week.
In periods when I'm consistently reading books, learning new concepts, and creating educational content, my desire for material possessions practically vanishes. But when I pause that growth journey, the shopping sprees begin and the Amazon basket starts getting more attention.
It's a pattern so clear I can't believe I didn't see it sooner.
Between 2019 and 2021, I was deeply immersed in what I call my "self-growth arc" where I was consistently producing content, reading voraciously, and engaging with ideas that challenged me. During this time, I felt a little pull toward accumulating new material possessions like a flashy new pair of trainers or a new completely unnecessary piece of tech.
Then from 2021 to 2024, my content creation became sporadic. Life got busy with other priorities, and gradually, I found myself wanting to ‘treat myself’ or spend because ‘I deserved it.’ Nothing extravagant, I still had enough residual wisdom to avoid falling completely into the consumption trap but the shift was clear.
Now in early 2025, as I've returned to consistent newsletter writing and preparing for a deeper dive back into content creation, I've noticed my desire for material possessions fade away again, like morning fog under the sun.
This pattern reveals what I call the Consumption Paradox:
The more we create meaningful content and consume enriching information, the less we desire to consume material goods.
It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Here's why:
Creating fills the void that buying temporarily satisfies. When we create something whether it's writing, art, or ideas, we experience a sense of purpose and accomplishment that no purchase can match. Creation engages our minds in ways that consumption simply cannot.
Learning expands our perspective beyond material concerns. Reading thoughtful books and engaging with meaningful ideas reminds us that the most valuable things in life aren't things at all. Our minds expand beyond the confines of material desire.
Growth-oriented activities reshape our identity. When we identify as creators and learners, we derive satisfaction from what we produce and discover, not what we own. Our status symbols become ideas and impact, not possessions.
Producing content heightens our awareness of manipulation. The more content you create, the more you understand how media and marketing work to influence behaviour. This awareness acts as a shield against unnecessary purchases.
I'm not suggesting that material possessions are inherently bad. There's nothing wrong with owning nice things that genuinely enhance your life. I still appreciate quality when it serves a purpose. The problem arises when we seek in possessions what they fundamentally cannot provide: meaning, purpose, and fulfilment.
The philosopher Erich Fromm captured this distinction perfectly in his concept of "having" versus "being" modes of existence. In the having mode, we define ourselves by what we possess. In the being mode, we define ourselves by our experiences, growth, and contributions.
When I reflect on the years 2021-2024, I can see that slipping away from creation pushed me more toward the "having" mode. It wasn't dramatic. I didn't become a shopaholic, but the subtle shift in priorities is clear in retrospect.
What amazes me is how automatic the reversal has been since January 2025. As I've recommitted to this newsletter and increased my reading, my browser history shows fewer visits to shopping sites and more to ideas, concepts, and creative tools. I didn't consciously decide to stop wanting things. Just that the desire simply faded as better desires took its place.
So here's my challenge to you this week:
Notice the balance between creation and consumption in your own life. Are you primarily consuming – whether it's products, media, or even passively scrolling social media? Or are you regularly creating something meaningful, however modest?
Try shifting just 30 minutes per day from consumption to creation for one week. This could be writing, drawing, coding, composing music, or even recording your thoughts in a journal. Similarly, replace 30 minutes of passive entertainment with active learning about something that genuinely interests you.
Then watch what happens to your desires. You might find, as I have, that the urge to fill your life with material things naturally subsides.
Have a great week,
Dr. Yath Prem, MD
Quote of the week:
Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of W’s you control in your life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it. I call this the freedom multiplier.
— Tim Ferriss (4HWW)
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