Shiny Object Syndrome - Know When To Say No To Certain Opportunities!

I have been presented with several money making opportunities by friends who genuinely want to help me make money.

Many of them I have said no. My saying no isn't to say I don't believe in the opportunities or not grateful, far from that.

It's a matter of focusing on the one thing I want to accomplish.

Many of us have placed ourselves under undue pressure because we are in a hurry. We have created a mental schedule which must be accomplished within a specific time frame; start a business, get a PhD, get married, have a family, raise kids, travel, etc.

We get upset when the schedule goes out of sync. So we move for every opportunity to satisfy our timelines.

Bill Gates gave himself to Microsoft, Lionel Messi gave himself to football, Steve Jobs gave himself to Apple, Martin Luther King Jr. gave himself to justice and equality, Muhammad Ali gave himself to boxing, etc.

More and more people, especially young people are now getting trapped in the cycle of shiny object syndrome.

Whenever they see something shiny or people getting success in one industry, they shift their attention to that.

We jump at the new deal in town, the new business in town, the new opportunity in town.

My friends are succeeding in this so I leave what I am doing and join them.

Believe in what you start and keep your focus on it. Until you commit to something you believe in, you are never likely to get fulfillment.

Just two days before Spain kicked off their 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia, their manager received a tantalizing offer from Real Madrid Football Club, arguably the best football club in the world and the most decorated club in history in the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

Julen Lopetegui was announced as Real Madrid's next manager whilst still in charge of the Spanish national team on the 12th of June, 2018.

He was sacked as Spain manager two days before the World Cup.

He hurriedly took over his role as Real Madrid's manager watching the World Cup from home.

It was too good an offer to turn down even though Julen Lopetegui had been working with the Spainish national team, qualified them to the World Cup, and was his dream to coach Spain who won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

He jumped for the shiny object. He took the one time shiny opportunity.

Three months into the 2018/2019 football season and Julen Lopetegui has been sacked by Real Madrid Football club after a string of poor performances which was culminated by the club losing 5-1 to their bitter rival Fc Barcelona in the el Classico on Sunday 28/10/2018.

In less than 6 months, Julen Lopetegui has lost two enviable managing positions as the Manager of Spain and Real Madrid Fc respectively.

Who knows what could have happened at the World Cup if Julen Lopetegui had held on to the Spain job and waited to take the Real Madrid job after the World Cup?

He actually could have waited till after the World Cup to take the Real Madrid offer but it was too shiny an offer to give up or wait.

In order to know what you want, you should also know what you don't want.

Don't jump for every opportunity presented to you because it looks shiny.

Focus on your craft, build it, develop it and be great at it. Imagine if Bill Gates stopped working on Microsoft to pursue some new opportunities presented to him?

When I tell you no, it's not because I am not interested in your opportunity, it means I know what I want and I won't jump for shiny objects.

Julen Lopetegui is a lesson for me and I decided to share. It may have ended differently at Real Madrid but the mistake he made is a lesson. I don't rule out the many factors which contributed to his failure prominent of all is Real Madrid losing Cristiano Ronaldo, the 50-goals a season forward to Juventus Football club.

Don't be a Julen Lopetegui.
Whatever you are doing, commit to it, be good at it, be known for it and don't jump for every shiny opportunity. Others should succeed what they are doing, you can also succeed in what you commit to. We don't need to run for the same thing.

If Julen Lopetegui had gone on to win the World Cup with Spain, imagine the number of teams around Europe who will be seeking his signature?

Don't drink from every cup presented to you, that's how you get poisoned.

My name is Rudolph Mensah
Amazon Bestselling Author and Inspirational Speaker

amazon.com/author/rudolphmensah