🥵 No, you don’t need to learn everything at once

I’ve been picking up on a virulent strain of anxiety running through the content and creator world right now. 

Pretty sure you have as well.

Not panic exactly, but a quiet thrum of overwhelm. Every week a new tool drops. A new format to experiment with. Another algorithm shift. Another trend you’re already late to.

And if you’re working in content or creative strategy, you're probably juggling that with actual deliverables. Real deadlines. Maybe a team to lead. And a list of open tabs so long your browser is screaming mercy. 

There’s a few former colleagues of mine who’s amount of open tabs was absolutely legendary. 

So here’s your permission slip: you do not need to learn it all at once.

You are not a bad strategist or creator or marketer because you didn’t master AI video generation this week.

I’m partially talking to myself here as Google dropped their new generative AI video editor FLOW and I’m guilty as charged with getting completely distracted with it. 

And did you hear about AI Darth Vader in Fortnite? So it's pretty amazing and I wonder if it's easy to learn how to set this up in...

Pause

See what I mean? So easy.

So let’s talk about how to build a more sustainable way to keep learning without setting your brain on fire.

Yes, this is for you. But it’s also for me. 

That’s how I know it should be worth a couple minutes of your time. 

Embrace intentional learning loops

Instead of defaulting to reactive learning (aka doomscrolling through 14 'must try' tools a week), carve out structured windows where you intentionally explore one trend, one tool, or one idea in depth.

Call it a 'loop.' It can be weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The point is to deliberately choose one topic - maybe 'script-to-video tools' or 'LinkedIn content formats' or 'voice training for AI' - and spend a focused block of time exploring just that. Test, read, break it. Move on.

Don’t be me and get distracted by AI video editing. 

This shift into active curiosity has been linked to stronger adaptability and learning retention, according to Harvard Business Review. Even better, if you do this with a partner or team, you can share findings and pressure test them against real scenarios. 

I recently started doing this by shooting over questions to a community I’m a part of and asking about their interest in topics I’m exploring. If they are, they will let you know and then you’ve got some backing for making that a part of your loop.

Your loop doesn’t need to result in mastery. It just needs to be a loop. A closed circuit of intention, effort, reflection. It makes the learning less chaotic and more cumulative.

Bonus: reviewing past loops every quarter gives you a record of progress that goes beyond 'I saw this on Twitter.'

Use frameworks, not feeds

Social feeds are designed for consumption, not comprehension. They keep you in input mode, often without any real takeaway. To fight that, build a framework that helps you assess whether something is worth your time to explore.

Here’s a quick one:

• Relevance: Is this related to what I’m working on or planning?

• Replicability: Can I realistically apply this in my context?

• ROI: What value could this unlock - for me, my team, or my audience?

If something doesn’t check at least two of those boxes, skip it. Archive it if you want. But don’t let it rent space in your head.

According to Farnam Street, applying frameworks like this speeds up cognitive processing and helps you identify high-leverage opportunities more consistently. You’ll stop chasing every shiny object just because someone on LinkedIn said 'this changes everything.' Most things don’t, actually.

And when something does check those boxes, you’ll have a better shot at applying it meaningfully instead of just nodding at it and forgetting.

Build a 'not now' list

You know what’s worse than not learning something new? Feeling like you should've.

Capture interesting but non-urgent tools, trends, or resources in a 'not now' list. A literal document or Trello board or spreadsheet. This isn’t a graveyard. A graveyard is what my Google Drive documents are. You’re not ignoring them. You’re assigning them a slot for future review.

Every month (or quarter), do a quick scan. Some stuff will be outdated. Some will be more relevant. Some you can finally make time for. But the mental relief of 'not now' is powerful.

Here’s another idea: add a 'why it caught my eye' column to that list. That way you remember the context, and you’ll get better at noticing patterns in what grabs your attention.

Pro tip: It’s alright to let things sit and mature, then revisit when the time is right. Just try to organize what you’ve got in there as best as you can so you can actually find it again. 

Hence why “Untitled document” isn’t exactly great for revising. 

Just don’t ever look at my Canva…(it’s getting better though. Baby steps).

One approach for managing deferred learning is Tiago Forte’s PARA Method - Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives - which emphasizes structured digital organization to reduce overload without losing valuable resources.

Follow slow-thinkers, not hype machines

You don’t need 300 'AI influencers' yelling the same surface-level takes in your feed. God knows there’s enough of those. You need a few sharp voices who analyze trends and provide real context.

Hey, like me! Sorry, shameless plug. Couldn’t be helped. What kind of content marketer would I be without some kind of call to action right?

A great example is Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor who writes insightfully on AI in education and business. His post 'How to use AI to do practical stuff' offers structured advice on using GPT models for creativity, productivity, and decision-making without getting overwhelmed by hype.

Curate your inputs. The smarter the people you listen to, the less noise you'll feel pressure to chase. hint hint cough cough

And if someone keeps popping up in your feed with vague screenshots of chatbots doing backflips or obvious growth farming? Mute. Move on. 

For more on the benefits of deliberate, reflective processing, Psychology Today’s piece on slow thinking outlines why slower decision-making often leads to better outcomes, especially in high-input environments.

Know your learning 'why'

In a high-output, content-heavy role, learning should map back to something: a skill gap, a business goal, a career pivot.

Ask: Why am I learning this? Why now?

If you can’t answer that clearly, it might not be the time. Or it might belong in that 'not now' list.

Being curious doesn't mean being chaotic. Being adaptable doesn't mean being addicted to novelty.

One of my beautiful wife’s favorite things to say to me these days is, “Did you write that down?” when I come to her with some new idea or another. She knows I’m full of ideas and thinking about things constantly.

She also knows that if you just say something without defining it, it can fly away before you ever have a chance to appreciate your own work to the fullest,  like Beethoven’s Symphony Number 9. 

Define your current mode - are you building, maintaining, transitioning, leading? - and let that shape what you chase.

When you know the 'why,' the 'what' becomes a lot easier to prioritize.

According to McKinsey, intentional learning is one of the most critical workplace skills, especially when it comes to adapting content strategy and creative workflows in rapidly evolving fields.

And maybe log off sometimes

Touch grass, as they say.

The irony of reading advice about content overload in a digital article isn’t lost on me. But truly - logging off helps. Give your brain time to breathe. To wander. To follow real curiosity instead of algorithmic suggestion.

Go analog for a bit. Read an honest-to-God physical book. Talk to someone. Crazy concepts right? Try the tool after the hype cycle has passed and people have actually built use cases.

That’s when the good stuff tends to show up anyway.

Or just do something unrelated for a day or two. Your future self - the one facing another sea of pitch decks and AI tool demos - will thank you.

There's a few marketers out there in particular who really should step away for a minute.

In Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport describes the 'digital declutter' process - thirty days of removing optional technologies and reintroducing only what truly adds value. He suggests replacing low-quality digital inputs with high-quality leisure activities to rebuild focus and autonomy. That idea, while dramatic, speaks to the same need for boundaries and reflection.

This approach mirrors Cal Newport’s concept of a 'digital declutter' from Digital Minimalism, where he recommends removing optional tech for 30 days to rebuild attention and focus. 

I’m not sure I could do it, but maybe you could.

Break out of survival mode

Trying to learn everything at once isn't strategy - it's survival mode. It keeps you reactive instead of reflective. And in creative work, reflection is where the good stuff happens.

Every new tool, format, and trend might be interesting and many could provide value. But none of them are worth burning out over.

Make time to go deep.

Protect time to do nothing.

Build systems that support your attention instead of fracturing it.

🗨️ What’s your go-to method for keeping learning manageable without getting overwhelmed?

PS. I'm going to distract you for a moment because you're here and I'll consider this a test of your willpower.

I swear it isn't interesting at all.

That was mean, I know.

👋 See you in two weeks, where I'll be back with something pretty cool.

What is it? OK FINE.

It sounds like if you put the words "pod" and "cast" together and they spelled something out. 🤔