Typical BAD example of distraction and wrong focus

[GeorgR.]

Here's a typical example of stupid mistakes, and i constantly have to forcefully "hold back" not to get caught in such traps:

On some forum, i see a person talking about a new Clickbank product, it's about Migraine. The product looks good, the niche might be great also.

So...in my head, i am already purchasing a new domain. In my head, i am already setting up the page, writing articles. I am about to go to my domain "dealer" and getting a domain.

THE PROBLEM:

The problem is that i already have "countless" sites, established sites. Similar niches. Not in that particular "migraine" niche, but still good niches and keywords.

One particular site i am still trying to rank better for its main keyword. It still has a LOT of potential if i could rank better for the main keyword. (it ranks already ok for some longtails, but not for the main keyword)

So...instead of getting distracted by "other shiny things"..focus on what's already there, improve what you have. Do more SEO, rather spend time and work with that old site and NOT do new keyword research and product research if you didnt utilize ALL the potential already.

That's what i mean with "bad distraction"....it just dawned on me how counter-productive this actually is.

[Russell Hall]

Ahh yes,.. the typical problem that affects the stereotypical online marketer and affiliate marketing mogul.
I hear what you're saying and its so right that the old A.D.D. syndrome is a results killer.

It's kind of like the analogy of the dog chasing after bigger juicier bones when the ones in his own back yard are just as tasty and full of marrow if he just focuses on them.

It seems increasingly clear to me that the most successful marketers have systems and checklists in place and make sure that all the boxes are checked before opening new projects and going off onto tangents that can really zap productivity.

For sure, there's a fine art in knowing when to move on to new projects and when to keep working on existing ones. Some will be winners and others a waste of time,.. but I think that should be pretty clear within the first couple of weeks after sowing the seeds and setting it all up. If it looks like you drew the short straw,.. just move on and focus on more profitable stuff.

The old adage "the grass is always greener on the other side of the track" is one worth remaining conscious of I think.

Cheers,
Russ

[visit_faraz]

Very true.
I have bought a few domains which even expired without me being able to use them or put any sites on them.

Was just a kind of impulse buy.
I have already sworn never to do that again.

[Chris Kent]

Tell me about it mate. I must have bought close to 200 domains over the last 5 years! So money domains that were never renewed:

- some were stupid ideas in the first place
- many were just ideas I never took past Stage I.

[Christie327]

I too am a domain ho In the last 6 months, I have worked really hard to eliminate my shiny object syndrome and stay focused. I am not 100% yet, but 95% better. Just keep working and tweaking what you have, until you are able to move on to the next, profitable idea.

[warriorkevin]

What you guys say is very true. We are so TRAINED to see opportunity and then anylize what we need to do to bridge the gap and capture some of that opportunity. Domains are so cheap that it is easy to just collect domains and get to the project later.

But the "shiny object syndrome" is something that affects most of us to some degree. It took me a while to stop focusing on the future so much and focus on what is NOW. I used to plan projects for the future - 'when I get done with this, I will do that' and begin building my plans.

But that takes you off the mark and makes you lose progress and momentum and eventually crash and burn.

Now, if I see opportunities (I try not to even look) and find something interesting, I might spend an hour or two looking at the market, domains, and revenue potential. But for the most part, I just note my thoughts and ideas and come back later should I have time to.

But when I do a project I usually have multiple domains just in case and then I build the project and pick the final domain.

I have a list of domains I finally decided to part with since either I killed the project, never did it, or picked one domain and don't need the others.

My signature has a link to domains for sale - if you are hungry for more domains

[SimonHarrison]

I used to fall foul of this, and to some degree I still do. The solution to this is what I'm going to coin the "X" factor" marketing principle. Fortunatley it has nothing to do with Simon Cowell.

Sometimes, the key to success is nothing more than steely determination and focus. I really can't say I'm a fan of self help programs, however one element of them that does have a real world application is the goal setting element.

For anybody who struggles to keep ontrack until a projects end, my advice is to set out your "X" factors in advance and don't move on to project (B) until you've completed the factors applicable to project (A) in full.

If you move on to project (B) before (A) is completed, how can you know if (A) ever really had a fighting chance?

Opportunity may have been knocking as hard as it could on your door but you were to busy hopping over the back fence to reach the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow you just spotted from your window.

Let's look at some "X" factors..

Project (A) - Promoting a niche product of some kind.

You need to set hard and fast numbers for the following variables and stick to them, so "X" becomes a number that you're 100% commited to, come hell or high water.

So for project (A) our "X" factors that we won't fail on are to :

Create "x" number of articles
Create "x" number of videos
Split test "x" number of landing pages
Test PPC profitibilty to each
Generate "x" number of bookmarks per day
Generate "x" number of link wheels.
Test "X number of backends /OTO
Hook up "x" number of JV

Set your "x" factors for the above task list and stick to them like glue.

NOTE: "X" factors only tend to apply to concrete goals, for example "achieve no 3 in Google is hard to do with an "x" factor as it's something you can't control the timing on. So only set "X" factors on the aspects of your project that you can entirely control and work dictate by your own hard work.

Keep the entire process mind mapped, use whatever tool works for you, I'm a stoneage guy and just use good old fashioned spreadsheets to keep tally.

Work through the list, the motivation you achieve by being able to tick another thing off the list will play a strong part in stopping you hopping to project (B) before (A) is completed.

You won't want to mess with your goals, those definable targets and your satisfaction of getting another part of your project completed, the shiny tempting project (B) in the corner of your eye will fade out of focus as you stay strong on the operation at hand.

Having a clear defined line to cross and knowing pretty much when you'll cross it are all major factors in being able to keep focussed and not meander into a dozen other potential money makers.

In all the things I've ever done online, the only ones that have truly made really good money, long term solid money, are the ones that I got my head down with, ignored the outside world and steam rollered ahead until it was done, then I came up for air, once the money started coming in.

Ultimately there's always the next big thing out there, the problem is that the true "big thing" is the project you actually stick to and follow through on.

If we could teach one thing to newbies on this forum, over and above all the useful and complex IM advice they try to consume , it would be that just doing one thing , doing it well , tweaking it, testing it and evolving it to suit your strengths will pay off with far more success than consistently bed hopping from one concept to the next.