…and marketers especially.
Seems to be a thought on a few people’s mind lately.
We’ve had Lawrence Bernstein telling us to “Beware Of Shiny Objects”…
…and my good mate copywriter Pete Godfrey is forever reminding his readers about this trap.
(By the way, Pete’s recently relaunched his “Emotional Ad Writing & Marketing Letter” with a killer introductory bonus…well worth checking out here.)
So when I saw this new cartoon from Tom Fishburne…
… I couldn’t resist posting it!
So, what exactly is a “Shiny Object”?
Well…
…put simply, it’s the delusion that some new and exciting product, course, book or guru is (finally) going to be the answer to all your problems.
In the extreme form of “Shiny Object Syndrome” you don’t even have to do anything yourself! Mere possession of the “magic” item will be enough!
It’s all nonsense of course, but amazingly people continue to yearn for, and seek, the “Shiny Object” even after serial disappointments…
…and wasting a lot of time and money.
I suppose it’s a variant of the lure of “easy money”.
A confession.
I’m not immune to this siren song, but I’ve got better at resisting over time!
Now, let me be clear.
I’m not suggesting that you simply ignore new ideas or products.
After all, the search for improvements and a better way to do things is how we progress and the key to a higher standard of living.
But, especially in marketing, there are very few genuine innovations.
And the problem when you get distracted by all these cool new things…
…is that you end up not doing the (sometimes mundane but) essential tasks that make you money.
So, how do you avoid falling into this trap and yet be aware of what’s going on and be able to take advantage of genuinely useful new products or programs?
Couple of suggestions that may be helpful.
Firstly, be clear about your major goals. What are the most important things you want to achieve?
Secondly, when you’re looking at something new, ask yourself the question “Is this going to help me get where I want to go?” If “Yes”, that’s great. If “No”…you know the answer!
Finally, always remember that you are responsible for your own success. Nobody else, no “Shiny Object” is going to do it for you.
And when you think about it…that’s a good thing.