What is Shiny Object Syndrome?

This is a post I had to write because I want to see the general community opinion on this. Shiny object syndrome from what I've studied is the trap where you go from course to course, trying system after system; almost in an addictive way. When you have shiny object syndrome, you don't really have an end goal in mind accept for quick results.

Shiny Object Syndrom vs. Lifelong Learning

Shiny Object syndrome can easily be confused with lifelong learning and feeding a positive curiosity. When you're starting on a new journey and mastering a craft, it's important to answer the questions you have to build your confidence and to sharpen yourself as a professional.

As a person whose had more than one profession, I can remember the path I had to take for each profession. In the military, there was a standard expectation to start out at a low rank and develop increased skill levels with time. We were required to take lots of training (from various vendors) and to use what we learned to the benefit of the service. In between each skill level, there was on average a two year gap where you'd learn a set of skills, practice them, then test for proficiency before gaining rank, and learning more.

I look at our growth in Internet marketing as if it will be the same. We start in SEO, master that skill, read and study to get a thorough understanding of the cause and effect of various tactics on our sites, then move into another.

What if your primary training leaves you with questions unanswered? Should you try to maintain exclusivity, or do you buy into the course that answers your questions at that moment? I think that's where many people get stuck and may confuse that with shiny object syndrome. For me personally, I don't get the desire to buy courses often, but I know in the military we had professional development where we'd shut down our offices one full day every month, so I don't see a problem with ongoing training that's not in an exclusive environment.

My Opinion on Shiny Object Syndrome

After exploring and honing my skill for more than one career field, it's my opinion that you should continue exploring to be very knowledgeable and master your skills. I don't think it's necessary to maintain exclusivity to a platform to hone the skills, but I do think it's necessary to maintain exclusivity to a strategy until you've seen it all the way thru UNLESS it doesn't match well with your values or you see early on that it's not a good fit for your personality, skills, or life purpose.

I believe you should read internet marketing books, network with people in the career field, exchange ideas to see what others are doing, take courses BUT stay exclusive to one strategy UNTIL you've seen it all the way to results, then try testing other mixes little by little to maintain a consistent income, traffic, and overall business.

What do you think about Shiny Object Syndrome?

What does shiny object syndrome mean to you? Should you maintain exclusivity to one platform? If so, how long? When do you decide that the strategy you've committed to does or doesn't work? I'd love to hear your thoughts.