Turn Off the TV

A lot of people enjoy watching television. It’s mindless and entertaining. It’s also a colossal waste of time. More time should be spent creating than consuming. When you’re consuming content, you’re consuming someone else’s ideas rather than creating your own and manifesting your own reality. The average person is being “programmed” by media without realizing it — gradually normalizing what once was objectionable. Kids see parents watch TV; then they watch; then their kids watch. The cycle continues — unless you break it.

Key Takeaways

• Consumption is easy; creation compounds. Create more than you consume.
• Media normalizes what it repeats; guard your inputs intentionally.
• Replace TV time with family, fitness, learning, or building — momentum grows.
• Thirteen hours of TV yields nothing; thirteen hours of action creates value.
• Capability → confidence → unstoppable: build yourself instead of being entertained.

The Problem With Passive Consumption

Entertainment can subtly shape beliefs by repetition. Over time, more violence, grotesque imagery, fear, pornography, and coarse language creep in and become “normal.” That’s not accidental; it’s how exposure works. Ask: do you want these inputs normalized for you and your family?

Create More Than You Consume

There’s nothing inherently wrong with TV — educational content exists. But it’s not as dramatized as popular shows, and it rarely beats creation. Better options: write, blog, record videos, contribute to forums, or build a project. Getting your ideas out of your head and into the world feels uplifting — and it helps others. Your perspective, how‑to’s, and best practices add real value.

Better Uses Of Time (That Snowball)

If you turned off the TV, what would you do? Spend time with family and friends. Exercise. Learn. Create. Be productive. Productivity compounds into momentum: the more you accomplish, the more you want to do.

The 13‑Hour Thought Experiment

Watch a 13‑episode season at one hour each — at the end, what do you have? Entertainment, but no skill, no asset, no capability. Now imagine 13 hours of training, writing, or learning. You’d level up employability, maybe spark self‑employment, and become more valuable to others. Adding value brings satisfaction; it also builds the self‑image of someone capable of learning and doing. Capability begets confidence; confidence is unstoppable.

Simple Plan To Break The Cycle

1. Define a TV budget: pick 0–2 nights/week max and cap minutes.
2. Choose a creator habit: 30–60 minutes daily (write, build, practice).
3. Move first: 20–30 minutes of exercise before any screen time.
4. Replace one show with one chapter, lesson, or tutorial.
5. Track streaks for 30 days; reassess and raise the bar.

Break the cycle. Turn off the TV and become unstoppable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Isn’t TV a harmless way to relax?

Rest matters — but defaulting to TV steals time from better recovery: sleep, movement, sunshine, relationships, and hobbies.

What if my family loves watching together?

Keep one intentional movie night; add a shared project night, a walk, or game night for balance.

How do I stick to less TV?

Make it slightly inconvenient (unplug, remove apps), set clear rules, and replace with a specific activity you enjoy.

What should I create if I’m not “creative”?

Document what you learn, teach someone else, or build simple tools. Creation is a skill — it grows with reps.