Handling Shiny Objects: A simple system.

You know that feeling when a brilliant idea hits?

You feel that jolt of entrepreneurial electricity. 

You want to drop everything, run off, and build it right now.

If not because you're convinced this is "the one", then for some wacky reason, out of nowhere, you get that fear that someone else will do it first. Like, tomorrow...

Early in my career, I was the king of this behaviour. 

I’d get so distracted by a new, shiny idea that I’d lose focus on the core business. The one that paid the bills and, ironically, enabled me to even think about new ideas in the first place. 

This is a classic founder trap. 

But instead of fighting this urge to innovate, I learned to manage it. 

I developed a tiny mental system I've named the "Idea Bookshelf". It's simple but incredibly powerful. 

When a new idea hits, I don't immediately drop everything. Instead, I:

1) Stress-test it with a one-page plan. I write down the basic concept, the problem it solves, the potential market, etc, which is even easier now with AI.

2) Run it by my inner circle. I'll get some quick feedback from a few trusted minds who are happy to call bullsh*t if it sucks.

3) File it away. This is the most crucial step. I literally put the idea on a mental bookshelf. I check in on it occasionally, maybe add a new thought or two, but then I put it back and return to my primary responsibilities.

I used to believe that if I didn't act immediately, the opportunity would vanish. 

But with a bit of age and experience, you learn a powerful secret: most great opportunities don’t disappear. 

For example, the bake-at-home croissant idea we launched during COVID? That had been sitting on our "Idea Bookshelf" for almost a year. 

We were polishing the packaging, refining the go-to-market strategy, and running small tests on the product in the background. We didn't launch it because we couldn't figure out if people actually wanted it.

There was no true demand for the product yet.

That was until a global lockdown occurred. 

Only then did home baking explode, and suddenly our product had a massive potential audience. 

Our ability to launch in less than two weeks was a direct result of that quiet, disciplined preparation beforehand.

Speed was a critical factor in our success. We could pull an idea off the shelf and take it to market at warp speed.

And we wouldn’t have had that advantage without consistent, quiet, disciplined innovation in the background. 

(not the frantic, drop everything and chase after it kind of thing most entrepreneurs do...)

The point I'm trying to make is, innovate all the time. Think of wacky ideas. Test the hell out of them on a shoestring budget. Kick them around until the timing is just right. Then pounce.

Business is a long game. It's a lesson in patience and rewards those who are ready when the timing is right.

I truly believe the world needs more founders who are constantly letting their minds run wild. 

That kind of thinking is essential for solving some of the worlds biggest problems and making peoples' lives better.

But don't chase every rabbit down every hole because the distraction drains you and your bank account.

The real genius is in the discipline: nurturing your ideas, building a collection of ideas on your mental bookshelf and waiting for the right moment to act.

So, let your mind wander!

But then get back to work fixing the business you have today.