Shiny object syndrome. What is that?
How can it affect your business or career?
And how can you overcome it?
You are going to find answers to all these questions here in this guide so keep reading.
Table of Contents
What is Shiny Object Syndrome
Have you ever felt instant gravitation toward every new idea and then you drop the one you’re working on currently?
If yes, it’s okay this happens with all of us.
But if this instant gravitation for new things becomes a habit then it’s called Shiny object syndrome.
And in a business setting, shiny object syndrome is when someone is constantly chasing the latest strategy, tactic, or advice making the rounds within the industry.
And it is something which is not at all good for your growth and success.
Because if you keep dropping your projects and plans mid-way and keep persuading new ones, you will reach nowhere!
So if you feel you’re always jumping on the latest business trends then you might be dealing with Shiny Object Syndrome.
But don’t worry because you can control it, you can overcome the shiny object syndrome by following these simple yet effective tips.
And how can I say this with confidence?
Because just like you, I was dealing with the same problem when I was trying random gigs here and there to reach my income goals.
But none of them actually worked until I stopped myself from chasing new things and focused on my real skills.
Today I’m an owner of a 5 figure online business and all this happened because I found the right plan and system and stuck to it.
Listening to my mentor, I was able to focus on the right place and I developed the skills that actually made money.
And now I’m gonna share with you some of the things that helped me focus and overcome the shiny object syndrome.
Symptoms of Shiny Object Syndrome
Because shiny object syndrome resides in these murky waters of being sometimes positive and sometimes negative, it’s increasingly tough to recognize whether or not you’re struggling with it.
Are you just creatively inspired or are you unfocused?
Do you have a lot of balls in the air or simply a lot of loose ends?
Are you pushing your business in the right direction or only sabotaging your own success?
It’s challenging to figure out which side of the line you’re on. But, here are three telltale symptoms that your shiny object syndrome is becoming a problem for you.
1. You have dozens of unfinished projects
You’re energized by new ideas—but, that means you’re constantly starting new things and never finishing them.
Take an honest look at the work you’ve done over the last six months to a year. Do you see a lot of projects that you never actually followed through on? Ideas that you abandoned shortly after discovering them?
A little bit of that is expected when you’re an entrepreneur—not every idea will pan out. But, if you look at your history and see a long string of forgotten initiatives, that’s a solid indicator that shiny object syndrome is serving as a major distraction.
2. You’re always changing the way you do things
Nobody can blame you for wanting to find the most efficient way to get things done. However, constantly introducing new tools and workflows can actually do the opposite of what you intend—it slows you down, rather than saving you time and energy.
Are you constantly introducing new platforms, hacks, and other tricks to supposedly optimize your workday?
Have you never had a repeatable process in place for getting specific projects accomplished?
Listen, most entrepreneurs get excited about new technology or systems—especially if they promise to save them some precious time. But, if you’ve never had even a somewhat consistent way of getting your work accomplished, chances are good shiny object syndrome is getting in your way.
3. You can’t stay focused on completing things
Let’s say that you’ve developed your own online business creating templated website designs for nonprofits. That’s the core service of your business, and you know that you should be spending at least half of your time creating new designs.
However, every time you sit down to work on a new design, you find yourself getting waylaid by different tasks and activities you’d rather be working on.
If you’re neglecting some of your most crucial business activities because you’re too enticed by shiny objects, it’s obvious that your shiny object syndrome is controlling you—rather than the other way around.
Shiny Object Syndrome – How to Overcome
Now here, to your rescue are some super useful tips that you can follow to overcome your shiny object syndrome.
1. Understand Your Actual Skills.
I mean, if you know what you’re good at, and what your best skills are, you can find the activities and opportunities where you can utilize your skills to the fullest.
Plus, knowing yourself is important because it will give you a clear picture of what you’re capable of and what not. And this sets your right mindset and stops you from going after the shiny new strategies or business models that you can’t really execute.
2. Check the Potential of the Next Shiny Thing
Okay, so listen I’m not telling you to not try anything new at all. I mean, I understand when you’re nowhere, you have to start somewhere and try different things to figure out what works best for you.
And it’s sometimes necessary to try new things because that’s how you learn. Even I did a lot of hustling before I hit success. I did affiliate marketing, drop shipping, Facebook ads, and whatnot.
So I’m not telling you not to try anything new at all but all I’m saying is you assess the profitability and cost of the new plan you’re about to pick.
And you should not just assess your new project in terms of money but also in terms of time and efforts that you have to make in it and whether you will be able to execute it. Drop it in the middle.
Doing this will help you pick the right projects or plans that you’ll likely not drop in the middle and also, this will stop you from being distracted with some new idea you just heard on the internet that will not gonna pay you off. Okay?
3. Set Goals
Setting goals is important as it will give you the right direction and setting a goal and deadline for it will allow you to track your growth and help you stay focused.
And once you start reaching your goals, the feeling, the sense of achievement that you will get, even if it’s a small goal.
That feeling will motivate you to stay focused and help you overcome your shiny object syndrome.
4. Opt for a Side Hustle
Okay, so now you may say “hey (your name), you were telling me how to not fall for shiny new things and now you’re telling me to pick a side hustle?”
Well, bear with me for a while, let me explain.
Having a side hustle doesn’t mean you’ll drop or quit if you’re on a project.
In fact, I know many professionals who are making extra income by pursuing side hustle.
And in my opinion, having a profitable side hustle is always better than randomly picking up new trends and dropping them before you can even conclude if it’s profitable or not and then chase another new thing.
Because when you pick a side hustle you are assigning yourself an extra job or a side business and it is not just any shiny thing.
You have to choose a side hustle that matches your interest, your area of knowledge, skills and it should be cost effective.
And this way you can feed your curiosity or your will to try a new thing but also with a lower risk of losing your time and money.
You can check out my Training Program if you want to learn a new side-hustle that is helping over 1000+ people make a consistent income of 3k to 5k USD within 30 to 90 days.
And don’t worry, it is not a new shiny thing to put you in more trouble. In fact, this can be your savior as many of my students who were jumping from one gig to another built a sustainable business after implementing this training.
End Thoughts on Shiny Object Syndrome
Your productivity can be ruined by shiny object syndrome. You’ll become distracted and overburdened if you’re constantly pursuing the newest fad. Imagine what you could accomplish if you concentrated all of your efforts and resources on what would benefit you.
Today, take charge of your life. Use these suggestions to help you become more focused and productive if you’re currently feeling distracted and stressed.
FAQ About Shiny Object Syndrome
Is Shiny Object Syndrome real?
Shiny object syndrome is a state of mind where you feel continuously distracted. Mostly, entrepreneurs, marketers and side-hustlers are affected with it as they easily get distracted with new ideas, technology and new trends.
How do you get out of shiny object syndrome?
Tips to overcome shiny object syndrome:
- Understand Your Actual Skills
- Check the Potential of the Next Shiny Thing
- Set Goals
- Opt for a Side Hustle
Is shiny object syndrome good?
Shiny object syndrome is actually nothing but the craving of adapting and trying new ideas, technology or trends so it is not completely bad as you can always learn something new by trying new things but it should be controlled because if not, it can affect your productivity and business.