090 – Beyond Intellectual Rightness: The Difference Between Knowing and Doing

Do you find yourself collecting books, courses, and information about how to succeed as an artist, but rarely putting any of it into practice? Are you comfortable discussing creative theories and marketing strategies, but hesitant to build that website, launch that podcast, or release that album? Perhaps you consider yourself knowledgeable about artistic success while secretly wondering why that knowledge hasn't translated into tangible results. In this episode of Creativity Excitement Emotion, David shares a candid, car-recorded exploration of the critical difference between knowing and doing in creative careers. Distinguishing between what we truly know through experience versus what we merely "know about" intellectually, he challenges artists to move beyond the comfort of theoretical debates and into the revealing territory of implementation. From his three-part framework for artistic success to a surprising story about a reviewer who claimed to "know it all" while implementing nothing, this episode offers both a wake-up call and a practical pathway for transforming intellectual understanding into experiential wisdom. Download the PDF Transcript Sponsors: Productivity, Performance & Profits Blackbook: Get a free copy of the “Definitive Guide to Productivity for Artists and Entrepreneurs.” The Renegade Musician: David’s magnum opus on building an independent music career is here! Highlights: 00:17 – Capturing a car-recording episode 00:55 – Intellectual rightness 03:04 – Getting it together, getting it done, getting it out there 06:05 – Digging in the mud 08:40 – Synthesizing information to create your unique approach 10:09 – Talking about things vs. doing things 11:16 – Accurate thinking 12:46 – Input is key but it can’t stop there 14:20 – Know, know about, beliefs 17:46 – What’s most useful about this episode 18:10 – Not doing what you already “know” to do Summary: In this unfiltered car-recorded episode, David cuts through philosophical debates and intellectual posturing to address a fundamental issue in artistic development: the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Drawing distinctions between knowing, knowing about, and believing, he challenges artists to move beyond endless debate and into the transformative realm of experimentation and implementation. The rawness of the recording—captured during errands to preserve insights that might otherwise be lost—serves as a living demonstration of his core message: taking imperfect action trumps waiting for perfect conditions. Key Themes & Takeaways The crucial difference between intellectual understanding and experiential learning How endless debate and theorizing becomes a substitute for meaningful action The three-part framework of "getting it together, getting it done, and getting it out there" The self-deception that occurs when artists claim knowledge they haven't applied The dangerous comfort of remaining in theory rather than facing the vulnerability of practice The misleading influence of educational systems that reward information retention over application The Purpose Beyond Philosophy David begins by establishing his position in relation to theoretical debates, drawing clear boundaries around his mission and approach: Clarifying that his mission is finding practical tools that help artists, not philosophical arguments Distinguishing himself from those who enjoy "intellectualizing" and debating for its own sake Emphasizing his role as someone who "digs in the mud" of personal development to bring back "gold nuggets" for artists Highlighting the three fundamental areas he focuses on: mindset/psychology, productivity/effectiveness, and marketing/promotion Acknowledging the interconnected nature of these three areas while maintaining their distinct functions Creating context for why some successful artists may not need additional development in these areas His direct approach cuts through the tendency toward abstract discussion that often dominates creative development conversations. By positioning himself as a practical explorer rather than a theoretical guide, David creates a framework for evaluating information based on utility rather than intellectual elegance. "I want you to know that the number one thing, the number one pursuit that I have is finding things that help artists. That's about it. I'm out there in pursuit, learning things, trying things, implementing things... I'm out there doing things so that I can bring the gold nuggets back." The Knowledge-Application Gap At the heart of the episode is David's passionate argument about the difference between theoretical and practical knowledge, illustrated through both personal experience and observation: The disconnect between claiming to know something and having actually applied it How education and schooling have created a false equation between learning information and truly knowing The necessity of feedback from the external world to verify understanding Real-world examples of artists who claim knowledge they haven't implemented The transformative experience of knowledge application that cannot be simulated through theory How reading without implementation prevents experiencing powerful states of creative flow and insight This section addresses a common phenomenon in artistic communities—the tendency to substitute information consumption for creation and implementation. David highlights how this pattern can create a false sense of progress while actually delaying meaningful development. His critique extends beyond individual artists to question broader educational approaches: "The problem is people equate school with learning. School is not learning. They talk about education and higher education and traditional education and all that kind of stuff. Unless you're actually going out there and doing things with the knowledge that you've gained, unless you're practically applying it, you're not learning anything because you're not getting feedback from the external world." David shares a revealing anecdote about this disconnect: "There was a review for my book, The Renegade Musician, on Goodreads... They basically said... 'I live in Nashville, so I already know all this'... So, I went and checked out this artist's online presence. They say they know it all. They don't have a website. They don't have an email list. And they don't have a sales funnel. These are all things I talk about and advocate in the book." This story powerfully illustrates how knowledge without application creates a dangerous illusion of competence that can prevent artists from taking necessary actions to advance their careers. The Three Types of Knowledge David introduces a framework for distinguishing between different forms of understanding, providing clear examples that make abstract concepts concrete: Know – Direct personal experience and application (like driving a car after years of practice) Know About – Awareness without personal experience (recognizing German exists without speaking it) Belief – Ideas accepted without direct experience or verification The inability to substitute one type of knowledge for another despite our tendency to do so How these distinctions apply specifically to artistic and creative development The neurological differences between intellectual understanding and embodied knowledge This framework provides artists with a practical tool for honestly assessing their relationship with various concepts and techniques. By distinguishing between these three categories, creators can identify areas where they've substituted theoretical understanding for practical application. "Things kind of go into three categories... know, know about, and belief. And only one of those is actually connected to real knowledge, real experience, real insight into anything. I don't know how to fly a helicopter. I've seen people fly a helicopter, so I know it's possible... But until I fly a helicopter, I know nothing about flying a helicopter." The Value of Learning Resources While emphasizing application, David affirms the importance of quality inputs for artistic growth, balancing his call to action with recognition of preparation's value: The transformative potential of reading, listening to podcasts, and attending seminars How consistent consumption of educational content separates successful artists from the rest Personal examples of learning from books like "Getting Things Done" while adapting their principles The importance of selecting what works rather than dogmatically following any system His own reading habits compared to more prolific readers like Tony Robbins and Dan Kennedy The selective implementation approach that treats knowledge sources as a buffet rather than a prescription This nuanced discussion acknowledges the vital role of information consumption while reframing it as a starting point rather than an end goal. By sharing his own approach to adapting systems rather than adopting them wholesale, David models how artists can maintain critical thinking while benefiting from others' insights. "Reading books and listening to audios and coursework. First of all, any of you who are actually doing that stuff, congratulations. You have separated yourself as a rare human being... I've read 200-300 books... But for a lot of people, Dan Kennedy, Tony Robbins, Steve Pavlina... that's not even remotely an accomplishment for them. They've read thousands of books." The Principle of Accurate Thinking Drawing from Napoleon Hill's work, David explores how implementation creates clarity and develops a crucial mental faculty: How practical application helps develop "accurate thinking" about what truly works The need to distinguish between strategies that don't work versus those requiring refinement