Executive Insight Tip of the Week - Issue #133 - Bright Shiny Object Syndrome

• Posted on October 20, 2011
• 0 comments

Bright Shiny Object Syndrome

I work with intelligent and creative people who are very successful. I also work with intelligent and creative people who aspire to success, but don't quite make it. One of the important things that differentiates the two groups is "the secret sauce"... implementation.

The creative or entrepreneurial mind becomes excited and stimulated by bright, shiny objects, which often leads to new ideas and inspiration. Here's the challenge: if new ideas distract your attention and you forget to implement what you're already working on, overall, your results will be weaker.

Implementation has nothing to do with intelligence and creativity, but has everything to do with how you prioritize and take action.

If you find yourself squirming a bit as you read this, chances are you might be suffering from bright, shiny object syndrome. But there's good news - there is a cure for BSOS, and here are some action steps you can take to overcome it.

• Identify your top initiatives, and rate them according to how effectively you are making progress towards completion.
• Now, make a decision as to which of these is the most important (I know, all of them are important. That's the problem.). If you're struggling with this step, decide which initiative you can implement the fastest.
• Create a one-page, step by step bulleted plan on how to complete the initiative you selected. Make sure you include deadlines for each step.

Now, go work your magic!

You'll find that the act of implementing will make everything seem a little easier, so you can look forward to some intangible benefits from this as well.

Let me know how you're doing with this, especially if you are stuck.

Have a great week!