Overcome shiny object syndrome

Entrepreneurship is often touted as the ultimate freedom. You have the gifts of flexibility, autonomy and limitless potential for growth.

But with those perks comes a darker side: the overwhelming flood of possibilities. For many entrepreneurs, the constant stream of ideas, opportunities and comparison to others can spark a frustrating cycle of “shiny object syndrome,” a pattern that leaves you feeling scattered, uncertain about your direction and frustrated that you’re not making fast enough progress towards your goals.

Any seasoned entrepreneur will tell you that success doesn’t come from chasing every new opportunity. It comes from aligning your work with your deeper purpose, staying focused and choosing the right tools to stay on track.

After almost a decade of struggling with shiny object syndrome, I now navigate this challenge using a combination of five personal rituals and proven techniques that anchor me to my path—while filtering out the noise:

• Defining my personal North Star
• Energy audits
• Input reduction sprints
• Do nothing mornings
• Monday manifestations

My North Star is empowering the underdog to believe anything is possible.

Kelly Snodgrass

Define your personal North Star

To overcome shiny object syndrome, you need to understand who you are and what you’re working for. Your personal North Star—your core mission or goal—is the compass that keeps you grounded amid the chaos. My North Star is “empowering the underdog to believe anything is possible.”

If you’re not sure what yours is, spend time journaling about what truly drives you.

Ask yourself:

• What brings me fulfillment?
• What am I building and why?
• Who am I outside my business?

Once your North Star is clear, it becomes easier to identify distractions and say no to any opportunities that do not serve that purpose.

Energy audits: assess where your time is really going

One of the most transformational tools I’ve used is the energy audit, a process that reveals how you’re spending your time and energy—and whether those activities align with your goals.

For a week, track your activities in detail. Pay attention to how you feel during and after each one. Are certain tasks draining or energizing you? Do they contribute to your big-picture vision?

Here's the exact format in which I execute my energy audit. First, I assign one of five categories to each item I list (for me, these are: Household, Mothering, Partner, Work and Solo Time)

Then, I provide a ranking on a scale of 1-10 based on:

• How frequently I do them
• How much time they take
• How life-giving they are

Given these inputs, I scan for trends and patterns where frequency and time ranks high, but life-giving ranks low. With these trends in mind, I build:

• A list of five initiatives I can experiment with in the coming 30 days that will increase my energy
• A calendar of how I can experiment with living my life that should improve my energy

Two simple examples I’ve implemented in the past include adjusting my weekend routine and restructuring my client prospecting process. After noticing I was exhausted from generating activity ideas for my daughter on the weekends—leaving me drained at the beginning of my workweeks—I decided to experiment with a paid weekly activity subscription box for a month.

Similarly, after realizing that prospecting for new clients consistently drained my energy, I devised a new pattern for my prospecting funnel. Instead of dedicating Tuesdays solely to prospecting, I shifted to a system where I read industry newsletters with potential opportunities on Mondays, searched for loose connections for introductions on Tuesdays, and reached out to request those introductions on Wednesdays.

The audit will show you exactly what’s eating away at your focus and help you prioritize what matters most. By coming up with simple yet creative solutions to reduce or delegate the drains, you’ll find it much easier to stay aligned with your goals—and avoid chasing new shiny objects as a way to satisfy your need for energy.

Input reduction sprints: cut down the noise

Entrepreneurs often suffer from information overload. Podcasts, newsletters and social media feeds can fill your head with other people’s ideas, making it harder to focus on your own.

That’s why I’ve embraced “Input Reduction Sprints.” They're short periods of time where I intentionally minimize external inputs. For example:

• Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails
• Limit time on social media
• Choose one podcast or book to focus on at a time

Thanks to this practice, I only ever have around 100 followers on my Instagram account, which means I spend a lot less time on the app. I also hit inbox zero most weeks. You’d be surprised how much time it takes to decide if you want to read or archive a newsletter!

By reducing the noise, you let your unique ideas and thoughts come out. This will greatly reduce the chance of you chasing another new, shiny object.

Do nothing mornings: making time for rest

One of the most counterintuitive but powerful practices I’ve adopted is the “Do Nothing Morning.” Instead of diving into work the moment I wake up, I dedicate the first 3-4 hours of the day to nothingness—no phone, no to-do list, no productivity hacks.

In practice, this usually looks like a long walk with my dog, reading a feel-good fiction book, indulging in a creative hobby—right now, it’s crocheting—or catching up with a friend over coffee.

This time allows my mind to wander, reflect and find clarity. Having these “unproductive” moments creates space for you to reconnect to why you do what you do as an entrepreneur. Because while there is always another “shiny object” to pursue in a professional sense… there are many things to enjoy in our personal lives, too.

Monday manifestations: setting weekly intentions

The final ritual I swear by, and one that has fundamentally transformed my success as an entrepreneur, is "Monday Manifestations." At the start of each week, I set three intentions that span both work and life. They’re a mix of mindfulness, visualization and planning. It takes less than 10 minutes and can be done in your notes app.

Ask yourself:

• What’s my top priority this week?
• What actions will support my North Star?
• What distractions can I avoid?

Last week, my manifestations were:

• Show me a small tweak that allows me to better build my business without burning out
• Provide two or three aligned opportunities that would allow me to walk away from my current contract with confidence
• To not be debilitated by jet lag

You’ll notice that while my manifestations focus on work, they span life. Because work is life and life is work when you’re an entrepreneur! This grounding exercise ensures that my energy is funneled into the work that truly matters, making it easier to ignore shiny objects that don’t align.

Remember, you’re already on the path to entrepreneurial success. By implementing these techniques—Energy Audits, Input Reduction Sprints, Do Nothing Mornings and Monday Manifestations—you will better navigate the wide-open road of entrepreneurship with intention and clarity.

We know that shiny objects will always exist. Through implementing these five techniques, success comes by knowing which ones to let pass by and which ones to reach for.

Not only will these techniques help you stay focused, they help develop trust in yourself. By practicing them day-to-day, you’ll become the type of entrepreneur who sees long-lasting success.