SOS: Shiny Object Syndrome - A Blessing and a Curse
Terrence Kelleman
5 replies
I know I'm not alone here with this affliction — the tendency to jump from one idea to the next. PH is a breading ground for new biz concepts which is a double edged sword.
I get excited, motivated, and engaged in new concepts, reserving domain names in a fit of inspiration and then finding new excitement in something else a week later. Leaving us with half-finished projects, forgotten domains, and a sense of never quite following through.
In fact, studies have shown a connection between entrepreneurial success and traits associated with ADHD, such as impulsivity, hyperfocus, and a drive for novelty.
On the other hand “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm” ― Winston Churchill
SO Which is it for you, A blessing or a curse?
Replies
Konrad S.@konrad_sx
App Finder
It's both!
I also know this feeling well, about all the ideas that I had, some only in my mind, some on paper, some where I started a bit of coding, some with MVP, all somehow waiting to be continued.
Feeling excited, overwhelmed, and kind of sad at the same time.
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Lancepilot
You're so right @konrad_sx - I'm glad to know I'm not alone. Sometimes I wonder where the balance is in channeling these impulses.
I've found that if I keep my more "creative" endeavors for the weekends and focus on core products that are monetizing my growth I have a happy balance. I guess it resembles an 80/20 rule in reverse.
Lancepilot
I totally relate to this! It’s exhilarating to ride the wave of new ideas, but it can also feel overwhelming when so many projects end up unfinished. That mix of impulsivity and hyperfocus can lead to some amazing breakthroughs, though. I think it’s about finding a balance, maybe setting small goals for each idea or scheduling “idea review” sessions to keep track of everything.
Lancepilot
Always w the great insights @istiakahmad - thanks for adding to the discussion!
I love the "idea review" sessions concept. Another strategy I love is setting a time limit for a concept and if it doesn't start to convert to a predefined metric that I want, I move on and put it on the back burner.
Sometimes the ideas I have are just too big to execute and so I'm left dreaming about them. I love throwing them out on PH because even if I can't get them done - it would be cool to see them come to life. I'm going to start sharing more of these publicly on PH and Medium.
I'm quite sure I got ADD as well. And the hyperfocus (if I get into it) impulsivity and curiosity are a big plus. You just need to learn to tame that horse and get the skills to stick to something.
Just yesterday I went through all my domains and decided I will not get new ones if I don't really see myself working on that product related to the domain any time soon. I also marked some to run out on their own.
Part of the ideation needs to be the realism of finding enough joy in working on a project to be able to stick to it. And of course the skill of sticking to anything needs to be improved. You have to find ways to make yourselve stick to something until it's MVP finished.
Every day it's good to try to get a little bit ahead with your current project. I think it would be also good to reward yourselve every now and then when having done so.