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Anyone or any organization can be affected by shiny object syndrome. In isolation, any idea appears brilliant. Shiny objects are a diversion from agreed-upon, well-crafted methods in the light of day (or dark of night). What makes them so appealing?
Let's be honest: building a company from nothing is incredibly hard. It has been for me. I started my entrepreneurial journey at age 8. Yep, you read that right....8! Since then, I've started, run and sold multiple businesses with no partners and no funding. All my life I've had to build something from nothing, and that's what I've gotten really great at - tenacious, creative and extremely smart strategy coupled with hard work. Welcome to The Do What Is Necessary podcast—I’m your host, Andrew Moon.
Listen in as I share all the mistakes I’ve made and, more importantly, what I’ve learned from them, with no fluff, and no rose-colored glasses. The Do What Is Necessary Podcast is a show where we cut through the toxic hustle and grind mindset and dig into what it actually takes to start and grow a “calm business”. Calm is family first. Calm is more independence. Calm is sustainable practices for the long term. Calm is joyful. Running a calm company is a choice.
I’ll be giving unfiltered advice every week, 10 minutes per episode each. I want you to walk away from this podcast with the mindset and tools you need to be successful.
This podcast is for entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and busy professionals with a short attention span (like me)—you’ll get quick-hitting, actionable information in every single episode. If you give me your time, I promise it won't be wasted. Now let's get to work!
Anyone in any organization could be
affected by shiny object syndrome.
Or shiny penny syndrome and
whatever, however, you think of
this, this problem Now in isolation,
any idea can appear brilliant.
It can appear awesome.
Like it's the next best thing.
Shiny objects are a diversion
from agreed upon well-crafted
methods that in the light of day
or in the darkness of the night,
Might not be so appealing.
But what makes them really so appealing.
Now today, tomorrow, someday, you're
going to feel that glow of a shiny
object in your life, shiny object
syndrome, either in your work life.
And especially as entrepreneurs in
our work life that that really bleeds
into our personal life quite a bit.
Now.
To best understand what it is and
why it happens and how to handle it.
That's what I want to talk about today.
That's what I want this
podcast episode to focus on.
They in particular when, when family
or friends is entrepreneurs, when
they ask us how work is going.
They often do so in the light of
highlighting the latest news or
something that is impacting their life.
They explain what's happening.
They explain how it happens
and how it impacts them.
Unfortunately people's descriptions
frequently sound like that they're
experiencing shiny object syndrome.
And we're going to talk
about that in a minute.
Intellectual and emotional exhaustion
comes through in their story.
And we hear that anybody who watches the
news, you can, you really can feel that.
But understandably organizations and
people is especially us as entrepreneurs.
We are constantly in search of "IT".
What is that next best thing?
Ideas, technologies or methods
to help us innovate and grow.
The sometimes that these things
are quickly, we quickly adopt them
and we quickly adopt a solution.
Only to abandon it at some point.
And that's what shiny object syndrome is.
And that's what I want to do right now.
Let's just go and put our
glasses on, define it.
How do we deal with it?
How do we get better at it?
How do we, you know, detect whether
we're suffering from it right now?
So shiny.
Shiny object syndrome.
What exactly are we talking about here?
Well, I read an article in
entrepreneur magazine online.
And it defines it this way.
It's called shiny object syndrome
because it's the equivalent of a small
child chasing after shiny objects.
Once they get there and
see what that object is.
They immediately lose interest
and start chasing the next thing.
Shiny object syndrome or SOS.
Is a disease of distraction and it
affects entrepreneurs specifically.
Because of the qualities
that make them unique.
They crave new technology
and new developments.
And they aren't afraid to start
new projects and create new things.
And of quote.
So while SOS is an affliction for
entrepreneurs, it can also happen
and is quite prevalent inside of
corporate environments as well.
Samples of shiny objects.
Uh, shiny object syndrome
include new technologies.
New marketing approaches.
New customer service mandates or
ways of engaging our audience.
So why does it matter?
Why do we really care?
But as I mentioned, entrepreneurs,
we're always looking for increased
growth, increased innovation,
operational excellence.
Or customer engagement, getting better
at serving our customers better.
While we chart a course
to achieve those goals.
New ideas are emerging all the time.
You spend 10 minutes on social media in
the morning, you'll get a million ideas.
So what's the problem.
If a technology strategy structure
or a program will work, why not?
Okay.
Why not?
Double down on them?
Shiny object syndrome by definition
means that attention will fade over time.
Switching courses or reprioritizing
only decide to discard something later.
That's the problem that's
problematic inside of our businesses.
Looking for ways to improve.
That's what we should be doing.
But making a left turn toward, something
that might be better without thinking
it through creates distraction.
And distraction is the enemy of execution.
I'm going to repeat that one again.
Distraction is the enemy of execution.
So, and most importantly, an organization
and its people, its customers.
We only have so much capacity.
So pulling people to and from shiny
objects is exhausting and unproductive.
And I did it a lot with my last IT
business, especially I would go.
Do quarterly training with other peers.
And I would come back with so
many ideas we wanted to implement.
And I would go around spewing
that, pulling my, my techs, pulling
my people in different ways.
And it's draining.
It is a.
Decrease in morale, everybody
would just roll their eyes.
After we did that, a couple of
times we would try something
for a little bit didn't work.
Didn't get the buy-in.
Okay.
So we would switch to something else.
So why does it happen?
Why do entrepreneurs?
Specifically.
Suffer from this.
But as I mentioned, we as
entrepreneurs, we're predisposed
to shiny object syndrome.
In company, several factors
enable SOS to surface.
And when we're building companies,
conditions that include insufficient
agreement or success, milestones,
what are our initiatives?
Having a clear paint
plan, having a clear path.
Analysis and planning to support
successful execution that is missing.
We don't take the time to
think it all the way through.
And one of the other big things that's
missing in the equation is we lack the
resolve or discipline to stay the course.
When we change something.
We never really see anything through.
And it's because a lot of us as
entrepreneurs suffer from impatience.
We want things really, really quick.
And that's built into
our society now where.
Instant gratification.
If we don't get something in a month.
Or in a week or an hour.
We give up and go look for the next
thing and especially around marketing.
And I still see it today.
Marketing specifically.
We try something for a week, a month.
Okay.
That didn't work.
So we switched to something else.
Then we switched to something else.
But when you really look at the
way, marketing really works.
We don't give it enough
time to actually work.
We are impatience overcomes us.
We don't give that three to six months
that it really takes of consistent
effort before marketing kicks in.
The underpinning of all those things is
uncertainty with our current strategy.
We're not comfortable.
Because we never make a solid
plan in the first place.
We are always second guessing
ourselves about strategy and approach.
And that seeps into everything
and all these new shiny things.
Jump out at us.
It's it's unnatural.
It's a constant state.
It's a concern we're
constantly thinking about.
Okay.
Is this plan good enough?
So my question to you.
Are you pushing shiny objects?
It might not be you if you're
working inside of a company.
Is the leader of your company
chasing constantly shiny objects.
Are you dealing with any
shiny objects on the team or
yourself that you're working in?
If you drive for continuous improvement
with an eye toward new ideas.
Shiny objects are a temptation.
And again, Entrepreneurs.
That's the way we're built.
But at the same time, we need to balance
our existing priorities without the
temptation toward new approaches, if
something absolutely isn't working yeah.
Change directions.
But if we changed direction three
or four times in a given year,
That's probably not a good idea.
For me it's it comes in my
affliction emerges around
personal development these days.
And personal growth.
If I have a topic that I'm
interested in, I read more.
I study.
I watch a lot of video.
I see all of those things.
So I have a tendency to still
get distracted and what I
thought while I was committed to.
So there's so many things I want to learn.
But right now I'm
committed to learning less.
I buy less books and I'm not as tempted.
Uh, cause I get a hundred
ideas every time I read a book.
So are you.
Uh, executing as planned or are you
distracted by other possibilities?
So now let's take our glasses off.
There's a quick walkthrough of
what shiny objects, how they
can be introduced, how we as
entrepreneurs are susceptible to them.
But it's really worth understanding.
What it is, and to be aware of it.
Because shiny objects are
likely more prevalent.
That, when we look and examine it and
they're always going to be more prevalent.
The accelerated pace of change.
The accelerated pace of economy and
technology is, is crazy right now.
But balancing.
An open mind and discipline.
That is going to help you navigate
away from all the shiny objects.
So here's my question for you.
How have you dealt with
shiny object syndrome either
personally or professionally?
I would love to know your answer.
Reach out to me on social media.
Or wherever you're
listening to this podcast.
I'll see in the next episode.