A big ugly trap called shiny objects

How many times haven’t we read or heard about someone who has had BIG regrets because of something they have done?

They got trapped by something shiny. Something that seemed so fantastic, seemed so over the moon great — so they went all in. Without any goal setting or planning.

They went all in without making the foundation. Without knowing for sure that THIS is "my thing!" This is what I want to do, this is what I can do!

They just started out because it seemed like a quick fix, or something everyone else did (so than it would work for them as well…)

…We don’t want you to get there, right? Nope!

Okay… So where do I go from here, you might ask.

You have to be working on your goal. Like: working big time! 

Just to see if it’s reachable. Like if you have a goal of becoming a pilot. Then one of the tasks you have to do is to take a test of your vision, right?

Let’s say that the eye doctor says that you won’t reach the standard for becoming a pilot because of a bad vision…

What a shame if you had continued on all the other tasks, and then found out that it was you vision that stopped you. You see the picture?

Let's go a step further. This is for those of you who have a dream of starting your own business....

Have you ever said something like this:

«They MUST love it!», or: «I know this is what they need».

I have said those things, for sure. And it costed me a lot of frustration — and money! 

You see; What YOU think your customers need (or your clients, students etc. need) isn’t necessarily what he or she feels that they need.

For me, not checking out what my customer really wanted once costed me 2 months of hard work.

I didn’t take the time to get to know my customers really, really well.

So, I spent 2 months making this fire preventing portal — just to get 2 paying customers.. 

I thought I would get 5000!! Really!! You see, I had budgeted on getting those 5000 customers!

I knew that the people out there needed a portal like that. I had seen it with my own eyes for years, working as a fire chief and earlier as a fire engineer.

But the fact was that even if they needed it, they didn’t want it.

What a shock!!!

I had to go all the way back to the drawing board to make a portal they really wanted (...yes, like I said; two months of hard work wasted).

Now I ALWAYS work on my goals in details, and get to know the customers like I know myself — before I go all in.

I had to learn it the hard way. I don't want you to fall in the same trap.

Make your goal as solid as possible. Do your planning, and always adjust as you go. You owe that to yourself — and you owe it your future self.

So let's say bye for now — and do some planning instead!