Shiny Object Syndrome – How It Affects You & Your Business

I see it all the time, and yes, I myself can get caught up in shiny object syndrome and daily distractions just as easily as the most well intended entrepreneur. Social media and life in general have made diversions an easy form of procrastination and escaping the actual doing. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can get into flow and stay there with so much joy and enthusiasm that it alone will drive the “doing.”

We took the family to a hot-springs pool recently and I learned by watching. This wasn’t some fancy business retreat or motivational course, this was a public hot-springs hidden down a remote road just outside a small town.

My husband sat in a shaded chair while I sat in a lounger next to him. We would occasionally soak in the pool, but we weren’t there for our benefit, we really went for my youngest daughter and her friend. At 14, sometimes you have to coax the bears out of their dens otherwise they’d hibernate all summer long.

I try to find something in every experience that I can learn from. This trip was no exception. As I sat there relaxing under the shade trying to keep the fly’s off, I started watching a 3-year old boy playing in the shallow end of the pool. He caught my attention because he was right in front of where we were sitting.

I know, not so earth shattering right….. A small boy playing in a pool.

The discovery came after watching him for several hours. From the time we got there until shortly before we left, this young boy was completely entertained and overjoyed with his flip flops.

He found all kinds of ways to get the maximum joy out of them without getting bored or distracted.

He’d put them on his feet and walk around in the pool.

Use them as boats as he pushed them all around.

Threw them (as far as a 3-year old could) so he could retrieve them again.

Push them under the water and be in awe as he watched the water slowly engulf them just so he could pull them back out.

He found so many ways to enjoy these simple $1.99 flip flops for hours. He wasn’t concerned that the kid right next to him had a fancy new inflatable that his mom spent 15 minutes blowing up, that the girl had noodle or that one of the kids had a floatie paddle board. Nope, none of it mattered a bit. He was 1000% content with his flip flops.

Being an adult is amazing because we have so many choices in life, but sometimes all these choices create massive confusion which creates massive blocks in our psyche and energy. All these choices and blocks create confusion, frustration and major overwhelm (aka self-sabotage).

When I started my first product-based company Once Upon A Scribble™, my only focus was on one product – my poetry line. And I was crushing it!

Unfortunately, I found out the hard way how distractions and allowing what everyone else is doing dictate the path of your business is a deadly move. I’m all for growth as long as it’s aligned growth based on your long-game.

Show up in your business hyper-focused without allowing other peoples agendas to creep in and dilute yours is how you gain traction. Clarity is a game-changer! If you’re ready to ditch the distraction, get clear and stop the self-sabotage, bust through the business blocks that are keeping you from stepping into your highest power, check out my new course – created specifically for entrepreneurs who’re ready to understand how they work better to up-level in a way that is literally magical.

Check it out here: Business Blockbuster Bootcamp™

Hugs 🙂

Wendy