From Novels to Creation: How Entrepreneurship Changed My Reading Life

This post is part of "The Entrepreneur's Safari" – a series of candid reflections exploring the entrepreneurial journey building a safari business with a Kenyan business partner alongside lessons learned from leadership and business development.

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From Novels to Creation: How Entrepreneurship Changed My Reading Life

A curious thing happens when safari guides lead visitors through the Kenyan wilderness day after day. Though they traverse the same territories repeatedly, their focus shifts. Instead of seeking personal wonder in each landscape, they begin finding fulfillment in facilitating others' moments of awe—in creating experiences rather than merely consuming them.

I've experienced a similar transformation since launching Complete Safaris, though in a completely unexpected domain: my reading life.

The 300-Novel Escape

Before starting Complete Safaris, I was what booksellers dream of—a voracious reader consuming approximately 300 novels annually. My library records confirm this staggering number: 2-3 books during the week, often another 3-4 over weekends.

This wasn't casual reading. It was necessary emotional survival.

My previous corporate position was intensely stressful. The only way I could mentally recover enough to show up fully for work each day was to escape completely into fictional worlds. Reading wasn't just a hobby—it was a form of meditation, recovery, and self-medication.

Each novel provided temporary respite from the relentless pressure. For hours at a time, I could live in someone else's reality, experiencing their conflicts and resolutions rather than dwelling on my own professional challenges.

Despite the relief these literary escapes provided, I sensed something was missing. I tried supplementing with other therapeutic activities—pulling weeds from my garden beds (too few weeds, surprisingly), folding origami (couldn't summon the focus to follow instructions)—but nothing filled the void.

I was consuming stories but creating nothing.

The Creative Awakening

When I launched Complete Safaris, something unexpected happened. According to my library account, my novel reading dropped to about 100 books annually—a still-impressive number, but just one-third of my previous consumption.

What replaced those 200 novels wasn't another form of escape, but something far more fulfilling: creation.

Crafting social media posts that captured Kenya's magic. Developing website content that conveyed our unique approach to safari experiences. Designing client materials that built anticipation for their journeys. Each creative task, though sometimes challenging, generated energy rather than depleting it.

I discovered that creating content about something I'm passionate about delivers a different kind of fulfillment than escaping into someone else's creation. While novels transported me elsewhere, creative work centered me more fully in my own life and purpose.

The Double Transformation

Of course, this shift wasn't solely about discovering creativity. It coincided with another significant change—leaving my stress-inducing position, taking a few months to recalibrate, and accepting a new salaried role that energized rather than depleted me.

This professional change created a double transformation:

1. I no longer needed intensive "recovery" from workplace stress

2. I found a creative outlet that fulfilled me in ways escapism never could

   
   

The result wasn't just a reduction in novel consumption—it was a fundamental shift in how I interact with the world. Instead of needing to escape reality, I found myself eager to engage with it, shape it, and create within it.

The Business Insight: Consumption vs. Creation

This personal transformation mirrors an important business principle: there's a profound difference between consuming value and creating it.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs get stuck in endless consumption—reading business books, attending webinars, following industry blogs—without taking the crucial step toward creation. While consumption provides knowledge, in my experience, only creation generates true fulfillment and business growth.

My reading shift represents this principle in microcosm. Novels provided value, but creating experiences for others—both through Complete Safaris and through content that inspires potential travelers—delivers deeper satisfaction.

The Safari Connection

This balance between consumption and creation is exactly what makes exceptional safari experiences. Great guides don't just consume Kenya's beauty for themselves; they create moments of discovery for others. They find fulfillment not just in seeing wildlife but in facilitating their clients' perfect viewing opportunities.

Similarly, Complete Safaris isn't about my personal enjoyment of Kenya (though that certainly exists). It's about creating exceptional experiences that allow others to discover this remarkable country for themselves.

Finding Your Creative Flow

What fascinates me about this transition is that it wasn't forced or planned. I didn't set out to read fewer novels or become more creative. The shift happened organically when I found meaningful work that engaged my creative capacities.

This suggests something powerful about entrepreneurship: when you build something aligned with your passions, creativity often flows naturally. What might feel like difficult "work" in another context becomes energizing when connected to your purpose.

Your Turn

I'm curious about your own relationship with consumption versus creation. Has starting a business or project shifted how you spend your leisure time? Have you found creative fulfillment replacing activities that once served as escape or recovery? And if you're still stuck in consumption mode, what small creative step might you take today?

Whether you're considering your next business move or your next Kenya adventure, I'd love to hear how the balance of consuming and creating shows up in your life.