All things bright and shiny

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4.7K followers

I'd have a longer attention span if there weren't so many shiny things. ~ Darynda Jones

It's true for me, too. I often find myself distracted by the bright and shiny objects. They come in my e-mail with promises of easier ways to make more money. They come with titles such as:

  • WOW! I never thought I would be able to do THIS!
  • How to make $1000 in 10 hours (or less)!
  • Lose 50 pounds by tomorrow!

Well, that last one was an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Anyone who receives e-mail receives the same kinds of messages (unless you have a SUPER DUPER spam REDUCER!)

My problem is that sometimes I get sucked in and tangled into the net these e-mails cast.

I know better. But somehow, knowing better doesn't always stop me from taking a sniff. Sometimes, like Tuesday, it leads to taking a bite.

Fortunately for me, the bite wasn't very big and a lot easier to swallow than many I have taken in the past.

Don't get me wrong, the information I purchased was good. There was nothing at all "wrong" with it. But I didn't NEED it!

It was basically the same thing we learn at Wealthy Affiliate, just broken down into different chunks and not as well, either.

I thought I needed a change

In search of love and music
My whole life has been
Illumination
Corruption
And diving, diving, diving, diving,
Diving down to pick up every shiny thing. ~
Joni Mitchell

It wasn't that I wasn't learning anything at WA. I have learned so much. But my mind had been wandering, searching for change and refreshment. I was feeling a bit bored. So when this e-mail arrived promising an EASY WAY to increase my blogging, my reach, etc., I was all eyes!

I HAD to have it! It was inexpensive enough at $19, but really... it wasn't anything I didn't already know. It was all clickable links and things that I could do on Wealthy Affiliate.

I was disappointed in myself for falling for the lure of another "shiny thing."

How to escape the trap of the shiny things

Diving down for this latest shiny thing made me think. There has to be a way to make the shiny objects less.... shiny.

I thought of some things I could do to help alleviate some of the shine and wanted to share them with you, my WA family.

  1. Unsubscribe! This is the #1 thing we can do to avoid the "shiny object syndrome." I subscribe to a few choice newsletters, but it seems like if I subscribe to one, I am suddenly subscribed to 10 others, too. The best way I have found to reduce this glut of e-mail is to unsubscribe.
  2. Carefully read what you are signing up for. Had I read more closely, I would have clearly seen what I was going to get for my $19. Had I been an absolute newbie, this information would have probably proved valuable, but since I've "been around the block" a few times, this information showed me nothing new.
  3. Don't be too hard on yourself if you get caught up. I have to remind myself that this happens from time to time. I'm not happy that I fell into it, but I can't let those bad feelings take me away from the task at hand--consistently writing quality content for my readers.

I'm going to wrap this up with a quote that really says it all . . .


Don't get seduced by the next shiny thing, because you'll get caught up chasing shiny things and that will keep you from addressing what you really need to accomplish. ~ Joe Tripodi

With 2020 Vision,
Karin :)

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Recent Comments

29

Oh yeah, you can lose 160 lbs in five minutes.
Dump your boyfriend.
Make $1000 in 10 hours.
Fire your lawyer.

Ha! Yep, you got that right! LOL

With 2020 Vision,
Karin :)


Oh, Those shiny things--they will get you every time. Except when it comes with price tag--then it tarnishes pretty fast. Thanks for sharing ,Karin. Always good thoughts from you.

Thanks, Barb. It is always good to hear from you! I need to focus on the things before me!

With 2020 Vision,
Karin :)

It is very tempting to get sucked in by the shinning things because they are structured that way to set the hook. There is no free lunch. There is no way to go 1 to 100 mph in 2 seconds. There is no way to make a $1,000,000.00 with out getting out of bed. You've got the best thing going with WA so think of that as your new shinning thing. Best to you Karin13.

Well said, Edward!

Agreed! I have the best here at WA! We all do!

Hope you have a great weekend!

With 2020 Vision,
Karin :)

We should be careful.

Yes we should.

With 2020 vision,
Karin 😁

At least you learn lessons from your experience and don't allow it to get into the way of what you know you should do.

Think on it this way there are people who have lived all their lives and don't learn from their experience and that's why the saying 'a fool and his money are soon parted' ;), chalk it down to experience learn from it and don't let it detract from your main purpose. Don't fall it Karin....lols

Yes. I enjoy experience, but not necessarily the kind that costs me....

I am more determined than ever to make my blogs here at WA work for me!

With 2020 vision,
Karin 😁

That's the spirit! determination is a key ingredient it makes you stand up dust yourself off after a fall and get stuck right back in there. Good for you!
Rami

Thank you, Rami! I have a lot of dust that I have had to shake off over the years!

With 2020 Vision,
Karin :)

So far as you are shaking gold dust off into the coming years I'm happy! ;)

Rami

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