Aspirational Consumerism:
From Buying to Doing

I love the idea of doing things; we all do. The thrill of a new hobby, the vision of myself becoming an expert in some new skill; it's exciting. But more often than I'd like to admit, I used to buy the stuff to do a thing, but never actually get around to doing the thing; or I would just do it once and move on.

New lens for my camera? Barely used. A box of fancy pencils? Never learned to draw. Big white board for tracking thoughts and ideas? Left unchanged with old ideas. I get this little hint of satisfaction every time I purchase something for an activity I intend to do or new hobby I believe I am interested in, but then reality sets in: The effort, the time, the learning curve, all the things that don't come with the purchase, those are the hard parts. And sometimes, I just don't want to put in the effort.

So, why does buying feel like progress? Dopamine.

That's Dope

The brain's reward chemical, Dopamine, isn't just released when we achieve something, it's triggered by anticipation. When we buy a fancy new set of paintbrushes, our brains rewards us as if we've already painted a masterpiece. This is where the trap lies. Buying feels like we are doing the thing we want to do, even when we aren't. And the more we do it, the easier it becomes to repeat the cycle instead of actually doing the thing.

I've realized that if I want to break this cycle, I need to switch my mindset: change buying as progress to -> action as progress. What follows are some of things I have changed in my life to help me start doing more, and buying less.

Owning Stuff Isn't Identity - Doing Is

It's easy to convince ourselves that preparation is the same as action. I see it all the time; like the guy who lifts his truck, adds mud tires, installs a snorkel, and buys every off-road gadget imaginable, yet never takes his vehicle beyond the city streets.

The thrill of the purchase feels real, but the adventure remains imaginary. His truck is ready for the wild, but is he? Owning the tools of an identity doesn't make it real, only action does.

Do Before Buying

Before buying anything new, I make myself try the activity with what I already have. If I want to start drawing, I use a regular pencil and paper first. If I think I need fancy running shoes, I go for a run in my current sneakers. This helps separate true interest from impulse.

For some activities, this obviously doesn't work. You want to ride a bike but don't have a bike? Find a used one, and ride that bike to see if you actually like riding. We don't always have to buy newest and most fancy gear before we can go and do something. This phenomenon is highly related to Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS).

I need to do the activity first now before I allow myself to buy the new fancy equipment. I need to know I actually enjoy the new activity/hobby before I let more stuff into my house and life. Let the dopamine come (or not) from me doing first.

Do It Bad

Perfectionism and/or not being good used to hold me back. If I couldn't do something well, I wouldn't do it at all. Now, I embrace the sloppy, beginner phase. My first photos may be terrible, my workouts inconsistent, but at least I was actually doing instead of just buying.

Now I love the majority of photos I take. Now I can ride my bike 100 miles, and love it. I now let myself be bad at something before I am good at it.

Reward Progress, Not Intentions

I've flipped my thinking: now, I only buy things after I've built the habit. If I run consistently for 30 days, then I can get myself those deluxe running shoes. If I exercise regularly for a few months, then I invest in that membership at that premium gym. Have I pushed the limits of current thing I already own; great! I should now get a better version of the thing I actually use! This makes purchases feel like a celebration rather than a false start.

First, let yourself enjoy the dopamine of doing, the quiet reward of progress. Feel the true thrill of learning, of building skill with your own hands. Then, only after effort has given meaning to desire, let the second dopamine hit come, the pleasure of buying, not as an empty promise, but as a well earned prize for something you already love.

Do It Together

Being surrounded by people actually doing the things I want to do, whether online or in person, has been a huge motivator. Seeing others' progress pushes me to take action instead of just collecting supplies. Cycling 100 miles on my bike was a lot easier and more enjoyable doing it with friends and other cyclists then it would be doing it alone.

Having a buddy or two into the same activities, hobbies, or interests can provide lasting enjoyment and fullfilment more so than the instant dopamine hit from buying.

Liberate Yourself From Consumption

Breaking the cycle of aspirational consumerism is not a simple task, but I have been constantly improving on shifting my mindset. No longer shall the feeling of accomplishment come when I hit checkout; The true feeling of accomplishment will come from the effort, from the presence, from doing it. Because in the end, owning the tools means nothing if they just sit there.

What is ownership, if not a meaningless weight upon the shelves of an unused life?