As entrepreneurs, our greatest strength can also be our greatest enemy.
As entrepreneurs, our greatest strength can also be our greatest enemy.
A friend and fellow entrepreneur (let’s call him Daniel) recently came to me for advice on setting focused, clear goals for his business.
He had so many ideas, and there was so much he wanted to do, but he couldn’t seem to get anything to the finish line. He felt like he was all over the place.
Basically, it was the typical story of every entrepreneur. I told him that he’s not alone—that he suffers from SOS.
“SOS, what is that?” he said. I quickly reassured him that he didn’t need to see a doctor—that I was talking about Shiny Object Syndrome.
For some people, SOS is a burning need to buy the newest technology or fashion trend. For business people, it means we are always going after the next business idea or goal for our business, making it difficult to keep our focus on one thing long enough to finish it.
Our ambition is one of our greatest assets as entrepreneurs. But when it turns into SOS, it can also be our biggest enemy.
Because when we try to hit a million targets at once, we’re likely not going to hit any.
I told Daniel that when it comes to running a business, it’s so important to tackle SOS head-on by getting laser focused on our priorities—and making a concrete plan to make sure we finish what we start.
Our ambition is one of our greatest assets as entrepreneurs. But when it turns into SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome), it can also be our biggest enemy.
Here are some Ptex Practical Pointers for avoiding SOS:
Step One: Clarify your priorities by asking yourself these three questions:
- What 1-2 change(s), if made right NOW, would make the biggest positive impact on my business?
- What roadblocks have been holding me back from making this happen?
- What will I need to do to overcome those challenges?
Step Two: Make a written plan:
- What are the smaller goals that need to be met to get this project to the finish line?
- How can those goals be broken up into everyday tasks?
- Who is the DRI (directly responsible individual) responsible for the completion of each task?
- How are we going to measure success?
- What are we going to do to celebrate once we reach the finish line?
Don’t fall victim to SOS. Set your priorities. Make a concrete plan. And before you know it, you’ll be crossing that finish line.
(By the way, I delve much deeper into these topics in our monthly Leaders Forum, a full day workshop for leaders of growing businesses. Over 100 business owners have already attended the Leaders Forum and gained clarity on how to manage growth and scale their businesses. Click here to learn more and apply.)
