How To Deal With Shiny Tech Syndrome
I'm sure you've heard of shiny object syndrome.
It's that thing where when you learn about something new, you start chasing the new thing and abandon your current plan, direction, or strategy for something new.
And to be clear, I am no stranger to the allure of the new.
I could write a whole post about this (in fact, I'll add it to my list) - but today I want to talk about a subset of shiny object syndrome:
Shiny Tech Syndrome.
This is where you discover a new piece of tech and go down a rabbit hole learning about, thinking about, and potentially implementing new said tech.
Don't get me wrong, I am ALL ABOUT THE TECH.
But, what I am not about is tech for tech's sake.
And trust me, I know that wave of hope that happens as clever marketing paints a picture of how your life could be different with this new shiny toy...
How this thing is THE solution to your problem.
Maybe it is but maybe it isn't.
Here's how I checkin before pressing "Buy Now..."
1. Is it the TOOL I need, or the SYSTEM?
In other words, am I looking for the technology to provide the steps, workflow, context in which I will use said technology?
This is so, so, so common.
Whether it's client management, email marketing, project management - creating the system that goes into the tool and the way you'll use the tool is the hard part.
Doing that part first means you'll be wayyy more clear on what you actually need in a tool AND when you buy it, you'll be able to implement quickly because you know exactly what you need it to do and how you want it set up.
2. What work am I trying to avoid by buying this tool (and can it actually help me avoid the work)?
SOMETIMES buying a tool is a thing we do to avoid the real work we need to do.
Have you ever looked into a social media scheduler when you're not yet creating consistent content?
Or looked at a funnel solution when you're not clear how organic sales happen in your business?
When shortcuts present themselves, it's our job to checkin and ask - is this actually a shortcut?
Because usually, doing the work is the shortcut. 🤓
