You know the saying, “We’re drowning in information but starving for transformation”? Well, if that isn’t the most accurate summary of modern life, I don’t know what is.
Take last Thursday, for example. I had a hankering for something sweet. Something decadent. Something that didn’t require me to turn on the oven. So, I did what any self-respecting adult with Wi-Fi and a cupboard full of questionable ambitions would do, I Googled “no-bake cheesecake recipe.”
Simple enough, right?
Wrong.
The search results exploded like I’d just asked the internet to solve world peace. “The BEST No-Bake Cheesecake.” “5-Ingredient Vegan Cheesecake.” “No-Bake New York-Style Keto Cheesecake with Almond Crust.” One even promised to be life-changing, though I highly doubt a digestive biscuit base is going to turn my life around unless it also comes with a free therapist and a cleaner.
I clicked on a few. Okay, ten. I ended up with tabs open like a blackjack table. Every recipe claimed to be the creamiest, the easiest, the most heavenly experience ever to grace your lips. Each one had different instructions, ingredients, and wildly conflicting opinions on whether gelatine is essential or the devil's work.
Did I make a cheesecake in the end?
Of course not.
I got overwhelmed, made a cuppa, and ate three ginger nuts instead. That, my friends, is the digital age in a nutshell. Or should I say, in a soggy biscuit base.
The Overwhelm is Real
We live in an era where information is flung at us from every direction. Need to get fit? There’s a thousand workout programmes online. Want to be more mindful? Try ten different meditation apps. Struggling with your career? Read this 72-page downloadable PDF on “Finding Your Authentic Purpose in the Corporate World”... or don't. Because, let’s face it, you’ll probably download it, skim page one, then forget it exists while scrolling through TikToks of people meal-prepping quinoa.
We’re all collecting information like it’s going out of style, yet most of us are still sitting on our sofas, paralysed by choice, and vaguely annoyed that nothing has actually changed.
It’s like being at a buffet with 200 dishes and walking away with a bread roll because you couldn’t decide between the tofu curry and the falafel platter.
Too Much Choice Kills Action
This is an actual psychological phenomenon called “choice paralysis.” It’s what happens when we’re presented with too many options and end up doing sweet FA because we’re afraid of making the wrong choice.
I mean, how many of us have said:
- “I’m going to start journalling every day!” …and then spent six hours watching bullet journal videos on YouTube, only to end up ordering five different notebooks, none of which you actually write in.
- “I want to eat healthier.” So you follow ten nutritionists on Instagram, save 37 reels of salad jars and turmeric lattes, and by Friday you’re back to toast with peanut butter because no one’s got time to spiral a courgette (zucchini).
- “I’m going to learn how to meditate.” Cue downloading three apps, watching two TED Talks, and still having an existential crisis while brushing your teeth.
- We consume so much. But when it comes to implementing, we freeze.
Real Talk: It’s Not Your Fault
Let’s be clear, this isn’t a personal failing. It’s not because you’re lazy or unmotivated. You’re not broken. The system is. The online world is designed to keep you consuming, not transforming. Every click, every swipe, every scroll keeps the algorithm happy and your brain just distracted enough to forget that you were meant to be making that cheesecake or rewriting your resume.
You’re being fed dopamine snacks instead of nourishing transformation meals.
And much like bingeing on crisps instead of eating dinner, it leaves you bloated, cranky, and still weirdly unsatisfied.
So, What Can You Actually Do?
Alright, enough of the doom and gloom. Here’s how to stop drowning and start swimming toward transformation:
Pick One. Just One.
Whether it’s a recipe, a workout, or a self-help podcast, choose one. Not three. Not five. One. Commit to it for a week. Don’t go back to Google until you’ve given it a proper go.
Make a Decision, Not a Discovery Mission
Next time you find yourself endlessly researching, stop and ask: “Am I looking for the best, or am I just procrastinating?” There’s no such thing as the perfect plan. Pick a good-enough option and crack on.
Set a Timer
Want to look something up? Set a 10-minute timer. When it goes off, you must take action or walk away. Information is only powerful when paired with action. Otherwise, it’s just digital hoarding.
Create Before You Consume
Start your day by doing something before you scroll. Journal, stretch, meditate, draw a doodle—anything. Consume later. Take back the power.
Make It Yours
Don’t be afraid to tweak what you find. So what if the recipe says cream cheese and you only have Greek yoghurt and blind optimism? Give it a go. You’re not submitting it to Bake Off. Life is one big experiment.
The Transformation Lies in the Doing
Imagine if all the energy you spent researching went into doing. Imagine if, instead of bookmarking 25 yoga videos, you just rolled out the mat and spent 10 minutes moving your body, awkward downward dog and all.
Transformation isn’t found in the next life hack. It’s found in consistent, imperfect action. It’s built one decision, one messy attempt, one actual cheesecake at a time.
Speaking of which, my son finally made one last weekend. Was it the best recipe? Who knows.. He picked one and you know what? It was absolutely bloody delicious enjoyed by many during my birthday celebrations!
Final Thought
We’re not short of knowledge. We’re short of courage to act on what we already know. The next time you feel overwhelmed by options, take a breath and remember: transformation doesn’t come from knowing everything, it comes from doing something.
So, close the tabs. Choose one thing. And for heaven’s sake, make the cheesecake.
