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S.O.S.

By: Michael Blankenship |

“Life is a hailstorm of distractions. It’s not the monster that stops us, but the mosquito.” 

– Robert G. Allen

If you peak over the fence, the grass sure does look greener. 

ProductPlan defines Shiny Object Syndrome as a “state of distraction brought on by an ongoing belief that there is something new worth pursuing.”

Sound familiar? 

The problem with chasing too many things at once is that, rather than putting all of our energy in one direction, we split it up between many pursuits. 

The progress we make in every direction, then, is minimized…

Image Source — Add up all of the small lines on the left and they are equal to the big line on the right. Same energy… different results. 

Add up the energy from all of those different pursuits, though — by focussing ourselves — and you can make significant and meaningful progress.

Easier said than done, of course. 

So here are a few reminders… 

New doesn’t always mean better — Newness allows for naivety. You don’t really know what it’ll take. And ignorance is bliss. Even though the new thing looks sexy… I promise, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. 

Old things can become exciting again — If you’re bored of the thing you’ve been working on, find a way to make it fresh. Do something new, change your schedule, or approach it in a different way. Get creative.

Bad days are a poor representation of tomorrow — It’s “bad” because it’s worse than usual. And the future is full of average days. Don’t let the exception send you into a tailspin by quitting or overcommitting. 

Hype sells snake oil — When you’re excited about something, it sounds better than it is. Making decisions on top of the mountain can sometimes be just as bad as making them in the valley. Let your emotional investment die down before saying “yes” or “no” to the new thing. 

P.S. Like this email? Here are 101 more lessons that you’ll love… complete with journaling space!

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