Success Requires Avoiding This Bad Habit

When Great Ideas Torpedo Progress

You may or may not have heard of Shiny Object Syndrome.  I hadn’t when I started learning about copywriting.  Would you believe that I still fell into the trap, even after reading about it early in my training?  I’ll tell you about that in a bit (it seemed logical at the time!)  But first, what is it?

Shiny Object Syndrome is a fancy way of saying focusing on too many things. 

It reminds me of an episode of The Profit where Marcus Lemonis turned around the clothing boutique, The Blues Jean Bar.  (He rebranded it as Denim & Soul in the process in Season 3, Episode 11.)  They expanded too fast.  They didn’t really pay attention to what was selling.  They added stuff they liked, rather than paying attention to what interests their target buyer.  He got them consolidated.  He focused on the parts that worked and created a solid process.

Let’s put it in non-business terms.  A new farmer bought a piece of land and moved in.  He’s determined to be a farmer and do everything farmers do.  So the next day, he goes and buys calves, pigs, goats, and chicks.  Tomorrow he plans to plow 25 acres of land to plant 25 different crops.

He’s new to farming.  He doesn’t have the infrastructure in place to scale up quickly.  He hasn’t tested the soil to determine if it's correct for the crops he wants.  He’s new to the processes for each “product.” 

Ok, so you and I wouldn’t do THAT.  

Yet SOS is sneaky.  For example, we need to be on social media.  If you try to do too many at once, you’ll find you’re managing social media with time for little else.  How many platforms are you familiar with?  How much time do you have to do ONE really well?  You can’t do one well if you are trying to learn how to be effective with six!

Shiny

Pick one or two and master that.  Each one plays different.  It’s how you play the subtle differences that makes or breaks your ability to create a raving fan base.  That’s a subject that requires study.  I haven’t even gone there yet because I need to focus on finishing my basic coursework.  (I'm happy to say that I'm very close at this point.)

When I started to learn about copywriting, I was so excited about the opportunity.  Did you know that learning new stuff creates a release of brain chemicals that make you feel happy?₁

Then the path got hard.  Life got in the way.  Hubby is starting a business (and I’m a partner.) If it wasn’t for an accountability buddy, and a large bill to pay off that lets me learn all things writing, I’d have quit … three times by now.  Fighting life and ideas and everyone else’s needs is hard.  

I couldn’t quit.  I need to write.  I love to help those who want to be helped.  I want to be supportive of those around me.  Yet I can’t bear to let my dream go.  It led to a crisis of decision – one I’ve returned to several times when it all feels impossible.

One way or another, I must dig deep and focus to make this happen.  I will find a way.  I’m following through with the commitments I have in place, and everything else can wait until I’ve assimilated this part.  I may need to choose to write in the field of my husband’s business.  This way my focus isn’t so divided. But I will write!

Are you starting too many things at once?  Pull back and slow down.  Focus on your main things.  Too many good things add unnecessary stress and impede progress.  

Are you going too fast?  Where are you spread too thin? 

_{1 http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107006/chapters/Memory,_Learning,_and_Test-Taking_Success.aspx}

You Already Know There “Aren’t Enough Hours” in the Day. Or IS There?

Overcoming Your Own Unreasonable Expectations

Everyone finds themselves too busy from time to time.  In frustration, it’s easy to find ourselves muttering, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all!”  And that is true.  We can’t do it all.  We aren’t even meant to do it all.  So why do we try?

Everyone has the same number of hours in our days.  However, the uber-productive performer has someone taking care of things behind the scenes.  That person is doing $43,860 in billable hours a month routing phone calls to a personal assistant.  Billing is handled by someone else.   So is prep-work and marketing.

 

It All Takes Time

When you are first starting out, you have it all on your shoulders.  You are developing your product, your marketing, your process, and dealing with the paperwork as you go.

And you still have a home, a family, and yourself to take care of.  All of it demands time and energy and care.

I found myself frustrated that I couldn’t spend 8 hours on research and writing.  I learned it was unreasonable to think I should.  I need to consider marketing, ongoing education and personal enrichment, and administrative tasks like ordering paper and ink cartridges.

I also learned that organization makes a big difference.  Ok, I knew that already, but I was struggling to figure out how to make that happen with a small desk that I use for my home stuff.  I have education materials here for two businesses, plus other home bills and projects.  Where do I go with it?  It’s all a part of developing process.

I learned that my health routines are essential to handling everything else gracefully.  It’s easier to shut down my negative voice telling me how I should be able to do everything that my aunt does, and my mom-in-law, and that lady I read about, and my work-at-home friend in another state, and some other things I want to do, too.  Oh, and the stuff my husband wants me to take care of for him, too. And … I got lost. 

Can’t. Do. It. All. At. The. Same. Time!

I had to step back and re-assess everything.  I needed to get back to priorities.  It’s work-life balance.  It’s efficiency.  It’s taking care of myself.  It’s cutting out less valuable things.

So today, I want to share with you some thoughts about priorities.  It cuts out a lot of unreasonable expectations.

Know Where You Are Going and How You’ll Get There

The first key is your vision.  What do you want to accomplish?  This would be your mission.  List that for all of the key areas in your life.  Some list 4 areas, others write out up to 10 to dial it in better.   Comment below if you want to see mine.

The second key is how you plan to get there.  What skills do you need to develop to make it happen?  Who do you need to mentor you?  What are the steps to make it come together?

Know Your Personal Values

The third key is valuing relationships. With a husband, and perhaps some kids, you have priorities beyond your vision or dream.  You want to enjoy your family, too.  You want rich friendships.  You probably even want to be involved in your community.

The fourth, but not least, you need to value you … your physical, mental, and spiritual health.  Neglecting any of these quickly brings unbalance.  What are the habits that support your best you?

Directed Productivity

Getting clear on what you want and where you are going lets you define the tasks that will get you there.  Those are your priorities.  Brain Tracy likes to ask, “What are your highest value activities?”₁ In other words, what are the things you do that gives you the greatest results? 

Knowing how to manage people is essential.   As Alan Chapman puts it, “Other people’s demands on our emotional and time resources are a significant aspect of life balance.”₂ Sometimes those demands are just life … someone’s in crisis and they need your help.  Schedule around it.

  

If someone loves to complain, be cost-aware and leave little room to tolerate that kind of loss.  They aren’t growing and changing their situation.  Schedule it out. 

Alan goes on to say, “If you do not manage these demands they will leave you with no resource for yourself, your loved ones, your other passions in life, and the changes you want to make in order to pursue them.”₂

 

Saying No to Good Things is Good

Carson Tate didn’t mince words when she said, “Becoming aware of what impedes your ability to focus and eliminating distractions so you can complete your work are essential to enhancing your productivity.”₃  

Facebook is a great example of this for me.  I can waste hours upon hours on Facebook.  They have the trending section.  They have live feeds.  Contacts post all sort of memes and … videos.  I have a policy of watching almost no video clips because I look up and 30 minutes is gone. 

I learned I can’t possibly watch every video clip any more than I can read every good book that’s out there.  That means I need to be comfortable turning away good things.  It hurts at first.  But if my life is to matter, I MUST pick and choose where I spend my time.  So must you, my friend.  Make it count.

There is a time and a place for hanging out and not pursuing my goals.  Those things must be in moderation.  Not all things are beneficial for me.  I resolve to choose wisely.  My goals are worthy. So are yours.

 

How about you?  Have you found yourself sad to let good stuff go so you could make room for better stuff? 

₁ http://www.briantracy.com/blog/general/5-key-questions-for-setting-priorities/

₂ http://www.businessballs.com/life_balance.htm

₃ http://www.carsontate.com/blog/2016/09/time-set-priorities/