You are going down a path in your business and then it happens, the shiny object appears to pull your attention away. It is the curse of the entrepreneur. It is easy to get distracted and enticed to focus on something new. It is exciting, it is invigorating and basically it is a way to get side-tracked.
When you chase every shiny thing that shows up, you can find yourself not getting much done.
Why it happens
Entrepreneurs are always looking to create and grow. It is energizing, and when an ideas presents themselves, it is difficult to not follow down their path.
Entrepreneurs are motivated by a number of things:
- Creativity: There is excitement in creating something new, and it can be a significant driver.
- Solving Problems for Others: You could be sitting in a meeting and someone mentions how helpful it would be to have a calendar that outlines the steps to creating an effective webinar. You sit there thinking to yourself, “I could easily do that”.
- Curiosity: It is often tempting to wonder how you could make something work. For example, you come across an opt-in page that is attractive and you would love to see how you could use the concept for your own page.
The Problem it Creates
As exciting as it is to be drawn down a path to a “new thing” it can be detrimental to the task at hand. It is easy to be lured into wanting to explore versus staying on course to finishing the current project. Later you look back and you find all you have are a lot of unfinished projects.
Managing the Temptation
Don’t beat yourself up over it. There is a charge that is hard to ignore when something new presents itself that triggers your to want to follow it. Recognize that you are being distracted from your current path so you can evaluate the impact.
Remember to keep at the forefront of your mind, and even more effectively have it written down, what is important to you in moving your business forward. What is your goal and what are the next few steps you need to do to move towards it? As you define those steps, each time a shiny new object comes into view, it is time to evaluate whether that helps you towards you goal or takes you off track.
If it does appear to derail you from your current purpose, it doesn’t have to be something you totally forget about. By keeping a journal of your ideas, or even writing them down on a board or index cards, they become a resource for you to visit at a future time.
As an entrepreneur it is important to continuously tap into the things that excite you, but it is extremely impactful to handle them in a way that allows you to complete what you are currently focused on.
