There’s a saying in the sales world ‘You’re either selling or being sold to.’ 

And, I think it’s the same with life – we are either programming or being programmed to. 

What do I mean by that?

Most people, but perhaps not you, like to binge watch in the evenings and the weekends. 

With the proliferation of internet platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney Plus, Apple Plus and now HBO Max we are inundated with shows that require our attention and not just for a length of a feature film but for a whole series and perhaps even more. 

TV demands passivity. It is there to entertain the masses. All in the service of what the media company wants to sell us – a waste of time through entertainment. 

These companies are working hard to get you hooked and keep you hooked, so they can profit. 

Watching a show for an average of 10 hours is 10 hours spent not reading, not writing, not teaching, not connecting, not experimenting, not failing, not growing and in Seth Godin’s words ‘Not making a ruckus.’ 

For some it could be as much as 30 hours a week off not making a difference. 

It’s a trap that allows us to exchange our time for a place to hide out from the challenge of learning to program. 

To program a website, to program a lecture, to program a blog, a book or even a script. 

You have to make it, not watch it. 

Either you’re the creator or you’re the audience. 

The choice is yours.

Choose wisely.