Remember the cute little lovable golden retriever, Dug on Disney’s Up? Ever so friendly and always good for a conversation until…SQUIRREL!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt like Dug in your business. You settle into a routine with your blog, website, and social media. You find a schedule that works for you. You’re keeping up with things and feeling very confident. Then…SQUIRREL! The distraction hits (otherwise known in the business world as the Shiny New Object Syndrome). You’re faced with a choice. Do I stick with the familiar and stay focused on my steady routine, or do I go after this shiny new thing? Which could be anything from a new app to an altogether new social media platform (think Pinterest a few years ago).

On one hand, by going after this shiny new thing, you’ll be keeping up with the trends. The down side? It may require more of your time than you’re willing to part with.

So, how do you know whether or not to go after the shiny new thing?

Begin by asking yourself these three questions:

  1. Will it help me in achieving my goals? Look at the goals you’ve set for your business. Will this shiny new thing help in moving those goals forward. For instance, if you’re looking into creating an account on the latest new social media platform, and your goal with social media is to build community around your brand, is this new social media channel a place where your ideal customers hang out? If not, you might consider passing on this shiny new thing. If yes, the next step is to ask yourself…
  2. Do I have the time to devote? Many times, we as entrepreneurs have lofty ideas. But we also tend to overwhelm ourselves with these ideas. So, evaluate the time it will take to monitor this new social media platform. If the time involved fits in with your current routine, then this might be a great new social media avenue for you to introduce to your brand. If you just don’t have the time, you might pass, or ask yourself…
  3. Is this something I can outsource? If you don’t have the time to personally devote to this new social media site and you find that it could be worthwhile in developing relationships with your ideal customers, then you might consider outsourcing and hiring help to monitor this new venture, if it fits your budget.

I’m going for it! Now what?

Once you’ve made the decision to go after this shiny new thing, it’s important to keep your focus and create a strategy.

“A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.” ─Brian Tracy

Just like you have goals in your business, you need to make sure you:

  • Make your Plan – set goals for this new venture.
  • Work your Plan – make sure everything you do on a daily basis is working towards your ultimate goal.

It’s your turn, how do you stay focused on your business goals and avoid the Shiny New Object Syndrome? Leave your comment below.