How Entrepreneurs Can Resist Shiny-Object Syndrome Founders are ideas people -- but can be easily distracted by too many ideas. Resist the urge.
By Vanessa Van Edwards •
This story appears in the July 2017 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Have you ever worked with someone who is full of big ideas and constantly hops from one project to the next? If so, you've likely encountered a case of what psychologists call shiny-object syndrome. This is when someone is so distracted by the world around them that they're forever drawn toward new ideas, people and stimuli.
Related: 10 Tips to Turn Your Brain Into an Idea Factory
You likely know these people. Maybe you're even one of them. Entrepreneurs are especially prone to shiny-object syndrome. After all, we have a lot on our plates, we love new people, we're always on the hunt for the next big idea. But this is where we can get into trouble. Psychology researcher Sabine Kastner discovered that the more stimuli the brain is exposed to, the harder time it has focusing on a single task, which makes us more impulsive. That's because when we are overwhelmed, the limbic system in our brain drives us to do what feels right, not necessarily what is right. And that compels us to embrace new ideas we haven't fully thought through.
