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 ext