Create not Consume

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On August 20, 2025, Professor George I. David, PhD, passed away.

Dr. Davida was Professor Emeritus in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a member of the faculty at UWM from 1970 until 2010. Dr. Davida was the Director of the Center for Cryptography, Computer, and Network Security at UWM.

Dr. Davida did groundbreaking and pioneering work in data encryption and cryptography and helped UWM’s computer science program establish an international reputation, attracting students, including Satya Nadella, (MS ’90) who went on to become Chairman and CEO of Microsoft.

Dr. Davida was my initial graduate advisor when I was pursing a Master’s Degree and completing my Master’s Degree Thesis in Computer Science at UWM (MS ’86).

Many years after I graduated from UWM, George hired me to become his patent attorney since I had earned a PhD in computer science and could understand his complicated encryption and biometric related inventions.

George was the holder of 7 US patents as a sole inventor and 1 US patent with a co-inventor, for inventions related to cryptography and biometrics including the very innovative concept of scanning of the iris of the eye of humans to uniquely identify a person.

George and I became a good friends and I would frequently have dinner with him in Chicago and Milwaukee. We had many interesting discussions about cryptography.

During the eulogy at the funeral, Jacob Davida, George’s son, indicated that his dad told Jacob and his sister, Jessica (Davida) Hoepner, to “Create not Consume.”

“Create not Consume.”

The Late Professor George I. Davida, PhD

Jacob and his sister Jessica listened to that advice and have both become very successful entrepreneurs creating new and innovative businesses and business concepts.

Jacob founded his own software company and his sister Jessica, along with her husband Trae Hoepner, are the founders and the owners of Performance Running Outfitters, a specialty, full service running shoe and fitness retailer with four locations in Wisconsin that has been named one of the best running shoe stores in the United States.

George also inspired me to create several new inventions using Galois Fields. George taught me about Galois Fields when I took his cryptography class at UWM. I filed and received 4 US patents on those new inventions related to Galois Fields.

Galois Fields, also known as finite fields, play a important role in the implementation of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) block cipher cryptosystem and other encryption systems. Such encryption algorithms rely heavily on Galois Fields for its key operations, such as substitution, permutation and the mixing of data.

How do you use the concept of “create not consume” in your own life?

I have just given you some examples about how when you spend some time creating instead of consuming that some very good and interesting things happen.

You don’t have to start a company, create new inventions or file patents to be a creator in your own life.

We are all guilty of spending most of our time consuming instead of creating.  We spend hours scrolling on our phones, tablets and computers through social media, binging episodes on streaming services, watching cable tv, etc.  Consuming makes you passive in your life.

The Passive Energy of Consumption

Consumption is passive by nature. It requires little from you besides your time, your focus and your attention. That’s why it feels so effortless to let hours slip away on social media. Yet, passive consumption rarely adds up to meaningful learning. Instead, it often leads to comparison, distraction and a sense of restlessness.

The real irony is that consuming more does not provide any gain in knowledge or any learning anything at all.

True learning happens when you process, reflect, and apply information. That requires stepping into active creation in your own life.

The Active Energy of Creation

Creation flips you into an active mode in your own life.   Creation has a different rhythm than consumption. While consumption often drains us quietly—scroll by scroll, episode by episode—creation has the power to energize us. When we shift from passive intake to active expression, we tap into a current of vitality that wakes us up, sharpens our focus, and leaves us more fulfilled.

The Benefits of Creation:

• Builds clarity: Translating thoughts into words, designs, or actions forces you to understand them more deeply.
• Generates momentum: A single small project often sparks more ideas, fueling a cycle of active creative growth.
• Leaves a legacy: Creation leaves behind something tangible: a story, a product, a craft, a company, an invention, a memory, that wouldn’t exist without you.
• Provides personal growth: Your energy and attention are precious resources. Every time you create, you prove to yourself that your voice, perspective and effort matter, creating significant personal growth as well.

How to Create Instead of Consume:

• Set aside time for creation:  Schedule it. Put “create” on your calendar on a daily basis, even if it’s just 5 minutes.  Protect it. Say no to consumption distractions during your creation time.  Repeat it.  Be consistent with your creation time.
• Engage in small acts of creation:  Drawing, painting, writing (e.g., poetry, stories, journaling, etc.), doing music (learning or playing an instrument, singing, etc.) doing crafts, woodworking, pottery, sewing, photography, scrap booking and do it yourself (DIY) projects, are all acts of creation.
• Share your creations: Creation is amplified when it’s shared.  Sharing even a single thought, drawing, photo, memory, in person or on social media can spark significant connections and connective feedback.

Creation turns you from passive observer into an active participant in your own life. Consumption is fleeting. Creation is lasting. When you create, you don’t just add a layer of depth and richness into your own life, you create a positive impact for many others in the world.

Out There on the Edge of Everything®…

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Copyright © 2025 by Stephen Lesavich, PhD.  All rights reserved.

Certified solution-focused life coach and experienced business coach.

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