Shiny Object Syndrome...

List down opportunities and rank them in terms of probable ROI. Pick the best one. Pour everything on that one.

Pick a method and KEEP IT UP. Stay focused on it. It's good to look at everything while you're wondering which way you should go, but at some point you need to make a choice and then focus only on the way you've chosen. Otherwise you'll get nowhere.

Do not be afraid to work hard and overcome challenges. Get rid of the need to find shortcuts. There are none. Those offering shortcuts just want to take your money.

Set your priorities. Write them out in order on a list. Complete one and cross it off. Go to the next one. Discipline yourself to just work on one task at a time. Too simple? Try it. You'll be amazed.

I never used to buy stuff from those 'deals of the day' type websites. One day I subscribed to the newsletter on one of those sites and I found myself buying stuff every week or two. The reason being that I was now being alerted to all of this stuff that I never really needed in the first place.

I unsubscribed from the mailing list and never bought anything again. My point is you can't buy this stuff unless you see it. If you are buying crap then it's likely you are on email lists. Get yourself off all of those email lists right away. They are not helping you at all. All they are doing is taking money out of your pocket and putting it in theirs.

Thanks for the great advice!

Do you guys think most WSO's are a waste of money? I think that's my problem too is I find myself in there a lot... I keep looking for a set SYSTEM to follow. I've only bought one WSO and it was useful, but at the same time nothing I didn't already know. It was just laid out nicely I guess

Here is a practical advice.

Before going to bed think of just 1 thing you would like to accomplish the next day. Just one. Be it to write an ebook, to set up a website or so.. Anything but just one.

Now when you wake up... Say it is a weekend and you have entire day off.

You wake up. You take bath, eat brakefast turn on pc...

And.. You Check Your email and you open warrior forum and many other things! You turn on TV and your cell phone starts ringing.

Here is what you have to do: THE FIRST THING YOU DO IN THE MORNING IS THE ONE THING YOU THOUGHT OFF BEFORE SLEEP. Do it even before you open your email. If you have to then disconnect your internet connection, leave phone in another room, lock off doors, throw off the TV... heck do whatever you want but accomplish that one goal.

Was it to write an ebook? You start at 8 am. By 10 am you CAN have one written. By 11 am you can have a sales page ready... By 1 pm you can have your product launched and by the evening you can have first sales.

...

All that doesn't matter if you won't do it. Here is how to smash the sydrom: What is the worst thing that can happen if you fail to earn money? If there is no reason for you to earn money you won't do it.

Don't take action... just do it.

Hi there! A lot of us have gone through this, some probably still struggle with it!

I'd say pick ONE THING ONLY and DIG IN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! Give it your best, your absolute best and when you start getting results, then you can try something else!

Something that helped me big time was to unsubscribe from all the IM sites etc! I kept one and followed the site! FYI, I follow Tiffany Dow and she actually has a product regarding the Shiny Object Syndrome!

That's all I did! Pick one thing and work it till I get results! You then get that nice feeling that you're finally making it, even it's not much at first!

The Shiny O S is a bit like going shopping on an hungry stomach! You're hungry for success, money etc, and you see ALL THESE PRODUCTS for sale, so you buy! So, pick one of the shelves so to speak and workkkkkkkk itttttttt until it HURTS!!

Good luck!

Yoan

SB06,

I personally like to use this concept: 3 C's. Consistent Congruent Commitment

Much like picking a vacation destination you must "plan where you want to end up". Then take action that meets the 3 c's.

Consistent actionable steps. These must be done each day. If that's writing content, then write. If it's list building, build your list.

Congruent action that moves you toward your end goal. If reading forum posts is a distraction from you building a list, then close your browser and go build your list. Once you have done that for the day, then come back and read.

Commitment to your goal regardless of how long it takes. If you're building a list of 5000 people don't stop just because you only have 25 after your first week. Keep going until you reach your target.


The point is, if you have a "definitive goal" then you already know what stuff you need to do to get there. Now the point is to just keep moving in the right direction. You will get to your destination eventually.

With regards to "shiny object syndrome" answer this question:

Do you want to be a Jack of all trades, Master of none?

In other words, pick one method you feel comfortable doing. Then master the hell out of it. Stop trying to "taste-test" and just pick your flavor of ice cream cone. Get the most out of what you do.

Once you have mastered your chosen methods you will focus more of your energy onto your work as listed above for the 3 c's. You might even be able to create some products about how you made some money along the way as you became a master of your techniques. Then you can go master another one and make even more money.

Well everyone has already given you great advice and I don't want to be repetitive. But there's something you mentioned...a GOAL list. That is really important. I also think you should have a daily TO DO list - I have a short attention span and this helps me a lot. Tick off each item as you go through it.

Then what you can do is:

1. STOP buying for now.
2. Make a list of all the products you've bought
3. Pick them one at a time and try to implement the one.
4. Get an IM review site up and review the product.
5. Build a list while you're at it.

This is a method of affiliate marketing (don't forget to put your affiliate links to the products your review). Tiffany Dow has a short report on her site on Shiny New Object Syndrome...I think it's free (not sure), but you should check it out.

Honestly write down every idea you have. Not everything will be a money maker and not everything will suit you so you'll need to refer to that list and mark off what didn't work for you. Keep it organized. It's hard to work when everything is scattered so make sure you do things in the right order. No point in building an Aweber list if you don't have good content for your members. This is all dependent on what you're actually doing but I'd say work on your website/content first then start building up your list and so on and so forth.

For me I started getting my site up, then building content then eventually I hired a VA to start making changes to my site while I continue building great content.

Sb06

Most WSO's are a waste of TIME and FOCUS...waste of money? Depends on how much you have and whether you value the thrill of shopping and getting a few bargains marketed on scarcity and opportunity.

Many WSO's are actually quite good if you want a read or you want to pick up a new tip. Problem is though that many do this instead of focusing on building a business or income stream.
The focus merely is looking for the next best thing - and this rarely results in getting anywhere as the intention is looking and not acting.

I created a WSO focused on Shiny Object Syndrome a few months back. You will find effective strategies that work in it.

If interested in learning more you can message me as i'm not actively promoting it at the moment.

The important takeaway here is simple:
If you are going to buy NEVER EVER buy OTO's/upsells, downsells sidesells or whatever.

Keep expenditure down. A WSO should stand on its own without add ons. if you discipline yourself to do this you will save lots of time, money and effort and have more energy to focus on the fundamentals.

Hope that helps!

Internet marketing is complicated. You have to learn many things until you’ll become a real expert. You need many WSOs to learn everything you need…

In the beginning you should study internet marketing and at the same time test your skills without spending money, by using the free options you have at your disposal.

Create Squidoo lenses and Hub pages, without spending money, but making some money with this practice. At the same time you will learn the basics about internet marketing and selling online.

You will find free information online about how to create perfect Squidoo lenses and Hubs if you’ll look for it.

Later you should create your blog, your website, and your own product. It’s a mistake to depend on these free platforms because you can lose your work at any time. Use them to learn how to make money online. Later you will use lenses and hubs to drive traffic to your own pages.

You need to stick to your original plan. There are so many ways to make money online the thing is no one can do them all at once they all seem awesome. But stick to one dominate and move to next. Do not get distracted by shinny objects. stick to your guns and get work done. Every day you should be one step closer to your over all goal.

Persistence is great but it is not enough. You can only pound sand for so long. The ability to mske adjustments to fix stuff that is not working is also important.

I've suffered from this and still do at times. Now I have more than enough money to fuel this habit, lol!

Like everyone said, find one method you like and stick to it. Avoid the temptation to buy more stuff.

I usually get this syndrome when I look for products to help out my already ongoing efforts. Some have been pretty useful.

all of this is nonsense

bright shiney object syndrome is simply a symbol of a lack of self-trust

you believe that someone elses strategy is better than your own

you think success happens by learning something new, rather than executing what you already know

look, im still distracted by shiney objects just like anyone else

however, this distinction has allowed me to better control myself

rich schefren is a great guy that helped me internalize this way of thinking

he makes the different between STRATEGY and TACTICS

most people are distracted by the latest tactic

and because things are always changing... there will always be new tactics to learn

however, you'll never actually make money with any "tactic" until you cultivate the ability to take action on tactics.

however, the level to which they are distracted by these bright and shiney tactics is the extend to which they lack STRATEGY

decide on a business strategy, what marketing channels you plan to use, etc... rather than trying to do them all at once

for example: i have close to a million views on youtube. i mastered video marketing and i generate lots of sales with it every month.

however, i dont know the first shit about pinterest or twitter. i know a thing or two about facebook but i havent utilized it as a business marketing strategy.

this is what i mean by being strategic

i tell this to my private coaching clients all the time

once you get clear on what you need to do to grow YOUR business... you're less distracted by other peoples information on how to grow a business

why?

because you're busy implementing what you already know

the opportunity cost of NOT acting and implementing what you already know is greater than the opportunity cost of NOT learning some new tactic

we think the money is in the new tactic when in reality the money is in applying what's already right underneath our nose

and even when you DO decide to learn someone else's new tactic... you rarely ever apply it because you're already so overwhelmed with information

and so you stay stuck in inertia, in procrastination, in overwhelm

trust me, ive been there time and time again and still frequent that place from time to time

however, this distinction has allowed me to rise above it... slowly but surely

if anyone wants help with this, let me know and i'd be open to coaching ya

just finished up with a few clients i was mentoring and got 2 more spots left

its not so much coaching on how to avoid shiney objects but coaching on how to determine your business STRATEGY and get clarity on what you need to be doing

once you have that, you'll be less prone to distraction from other external sources

This may sound stupid and not very helpful, but I'm going to say it anyways:

Keep it simple, stay with something that works and just unsubsribe from all those lists that keep sending you "sales emails".

Found something that gave a bit of success? Scale it up!

So ask yourself the following question.. DO YOU really want to pay for stuff that does not work? Some of these courses you've bought are more of an incomplete puzzle, and they will never make you money!


And the worst of all.. they are making you doubt your own abilities. Internet marketing is really easy, you just need to know how things are done.. And NO! The solution is not getting guru products for FREE in a freebie section on a forum.. Or paying for them and then ask for a refund..

So great! You avoided the start-up cost.. So now you've saved yourself some money.. Hate to tell you this.. 99% JUST DOES NOT WORK. These products and sales approaches from these scumbags are here to profit from you.. Yet you are trying them out.. Even if you are trying them out, you are WASTING YOUR TIME. And perhaps get lured into buyer because you liked the GURU insights..

Never made enough money until my business exploded when a high reputable marketer said to me: "STOP CHASING SHINY OBJECTS, MORON!."

And I am here to say the EXACT SAME THING to you in just a moment.. But first let me ask you a question..

Did you know that people are information addicts?

Yes even you!

The proof is right here in front of you.. You are sucking it up right now.
We are living in the age of information, and these scumbag gurus as the drug dealers you do not want to have around you! Quite frankly.. they do not care if you fail or not. You know they only care for your money.. And maintaining your addiction. And by doing so they can make money from you over and over again..

And black hat forums sharing these GURU stuff for FREE. Don't get me wrong.. It's great way to safe you the hassle of asking for a refund 99% of the time..

But..


Let's face it.. of how many times you purchased such a crap product, did a guru actually provide you with 1 on 1 support? In many occasions you would find yourself talking to someone of the staff that always seemed to be dodgy and incapable of helping you..

Or when you were stuck again.. Requests for help took longer than a few days to be looked at and answered.

But hey..

It can be even worse.. and it's something that seems to be the latest trend amongst these 'big' boys.. And that is that YOU ARE BEING IGNORED.. Just to find out that the guru in question is already working on another product that he will be dangling for your nose, like you'd be dangling a carrot for a dumb donkey!

So let me ask you..

Are you done being a dumb donkey?

To be honest.. What these gurus are doing.. is something like stealing.. Preying on the weak people with hopes and dreams. Getting these newbies all emotional, which makes them READY TO CLICK THE BUY BUTTON.

Due to my degree in psychology I am perfectly placed to know what they are doing and how they are doing it.. And to be honest.. These people should be put behind bars.. Got more than enough proof of gurus doing time for a couple of months due to their scamming online.

But that's not the point.. The point is that..


So when do you stop falling for these manipulative tricks?

This should end right now! Even if you download those products for FREE. 99% of them does not work.. Here are three reasons why these courses and products will not work for you..

- It's either completely saturated and that's why a guru is creating a product out of it.
- It's a rehashed product with some additional information that doesn't add value at all.
- Or it's just a big pile of misinformation, designed to GET YOUR MONEY.

Don't feel disgruntled.. We've all been there..

Though! There is one positive side, it makes you stronger! That is if you had the guts to keep on doing online marketing after being disappointed time, after time..

Chances are that you are still doing Internet marketing if you are reading this letter, or trying to make a living online.. even after being lured in over and over again you still have the urge to make this work for you.

All these gurus promising you the next push-button software that brings in millions.. And you probably found out the hard-way.. THERE IS NO SUCH THING.

But again.. this does make you a strong person..

So here is to you sb06...

STOP CHASING SHINY OBJECTS.

That is an AWESOME piece of copy writing!

Plan steps to start making money in the shortest time possible with just 1 business model.

For example, pick niche, build list in that niche, market offers to that list while building a relationship.

Drill this down into specific steps and bite size chunks that lead to your longer term goals. Now post those bite size chunks somewhere and create deadlines for them. When you miss a deadline increase the size of the text or the color or some type of visual representation to make sure you get it done!

The main reason people suffer from this is the FIGHT OR FLIGHT instinct. When they encounter a challenge pursuing one opportunity, other opportunities start looking attractive. Don't fall for this. Focus only on one-give it everything you've got. If it has truly and utterly failed, then move on. Other than that, keep fighting forward. Be a REAL warrior.

Unsubscribe yourself from all the email lists. You will buy 99% less products.

Okay, you said you had a site and an idea.

Start by unsubscribing from all lists that try to sell to you. If you don't want to take that drastic a step, set up a filter that sends all of those emails into the trash or a specific folder that you don't look into until you've got your site up and running.

Next, make a list of all the things you need to do to get started. Make it very specific - don't say "write content," say "write five articles" and list the article topics if you can.

(I find a mindmap such as FreeMind helps with this, but if playing with the mindmap is going to distract you, just go for a typed or handwritten list.)

Do each item on the list. Do NOT get hung up on doing it perfectly. You can change the vast majority of anything you do later on. In fact, you'll want to change a lot of it as you test different methods to see what works best. You're just creating a starting point for now.

If you don't know how to do something, Google it. Alternatively, search this forum or ask on this forum. But only give yourself a certain amount of time to look for answers before you either pick a method and just do it, or move on in a different direction. Do not let yourself get bogged down.

Repeat, "It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done" as many times as needed during this process.

Remember the traffic+conversions=sales formula.

I used to spend ages browsing the WSO section of this forum and now I've just had enough of it anyway, a lot of the WSOs I bought were vague and based on a gimmick that wouldn't last in the long term and that's if I took action.

Persevere with your site, you'll also have a better personal satisfaction when you overcome the hurdles that come your way. Without knowing what it's about or what you're doing with it, I'd say find a way to monetize it and get people to it.

Best of luck.

Dear Abby:

My solution to your problem is simple. Please send me a check for $10 million in
unmarked currency in a Mcdonald's bag at the recycle dump site, &, remember, NO COPS.

Sorry I couldn't help myself this thread could turn so many ways. LOL.

Anyway, my real solution is to live here The Copywriting Forum and once you really get an understanding of that, I guarantee you that your addiction will subside.

P.S. I'll send you a paypal invoice and you can pay me after 90 days, no obligation

People have already offered you solid advice on exactly what you need to do which is pick one simple proven method, build a list, and take action. Shiny Object Syndrome usually comes from a lack of action taking and planning. So get a plan in motion and then take action.

Do control F. Then put "this ^" in the box. You'll find all the cliche merchants that you need to avoid.

You need to set yourself goals.

You have your website, so now what?

If you set yourself goals, on what you need to do, and progress through them, you'll have to ignore the shiny objects to get the goals achieved within the timeframe you set for yourself (especially if it is short) Then if you find you don't know how to do something, then you can find courses to tell you how if you wanted to. But only pick one, read it, take action, follow through, achieve your goal. Onto the next goal.

There really isn't any magic to it...

The best way is to stick to the fundamentals. Since the dawn of business, from the streets of Ancient Rome to the 21st century globalist economy, the most reliable and consistent way to make money is to contain a group of people who have demonstrated a desire related to what you are selling, then sell to them. In other words, list building. But this entails learning the fundamentals of sales and marketing. Stick to the principles.

I think a lot of people may purchase a WSO just to say "yes I bought one". But then it goes into this cobweb of folders that sit there so long, you dont remember buying it, and have no idea "why" you bought it. Even if you purchased 5 WSO's last week (or any other type of product), take a day and read over what you bought.

Do you reallly need it now, or was it intended for down the line (maybe for a future product or website). Then label that folder so you are not only making a mental note of the goals, but physically laying it out on your pc. Before I started doing this, I ended up purchasing items that I already had on my pc, just totally forgot about it.

But yes we have all been there. Especially when you have 7 different emails from seven different marketers all screaming "buy me" with each a various bonus. It is tempting but that is marketing 101. Can you imagine if the WSO's were tv commericals. We might be in trouble then....

Good luck with everything...

I remember those days, reading my emails about how much money I am going to make once I wake up. The good ole days ... spending hundreds of dollars for nothing lol. Needless to say I'm a little more cautious now and the only reason I enjoy reading the emails still is for encouragement and to get ideas to send to my list

YEP, it is completely up to you. Discipline goes a LONG WAY.

Discipline is exponentially harder for the sole entrepreneur (especially internet entrepreneurs) but it is the best skill you will ever learn.

Punish yourself, reward yourself!

write down what you will do every day and get it crossed off and repeat the next day FOCUS on that list ignore the wold till done

My advise is to not put all your eggs in one basket, but to focus on the main product or concept you wish to promote and focus on one advertising method that works best for you and push it hard for one week and see your results. Once that is done do the same to each additional marketing strategy to see which one works best.
Basically test test test until you know what is best.

Read
Internet Business Manifesto

Internet Business Manifesto ? Make Money Online with Rich Schefren

Just pick ONE method and LEARN ALL YOU CAN about it. Build a list in the process. Find traffic generation methods that work best for you. It's not that complicated actually...

Traffic->Sales Funnel->Profit->Buyer' List->Sell Again & Again

Just research and MASTER every aspect of the sequence...

Education is key imho...

All the best

Realize that you are just wasting your time jumping from one method to another. It's like trying to climb a ladder, and after a few steps, you climb down, destroy that ladder, and climb another ladder. You really never get to the top.

Just focus on one method and pour everything you have in it. Once you have mastered it or even automated it, you can try another method.