There is always something shinier and better for your business. But should you care?
I know the feeling.
You see that new thing, whip out your business credit card, and think: “THIS is what I have been looking for all my life!!!”
This new App will organise my life in ways that my brain will finally understand.
This new course will give me the skills that have been lacking.
This new contractor will give me the solutions that I desperately need.
This new book will set me straight.
This new strategy will help me make 100k in 2 days.
But have you ever stopped to ask yourself: What about all the freebies, courses, apps, paid membership groups, etc., that are gathering dust in your overflowing digital closet?
You know the ones I mean.
The ones that you opened with excitement the first week you got them (and maybe the second week too, if we’re being generous) and then gently tossed them into the “will definitely use this later” pile.
You’re probably looking at the shameful cobwebs covering them and remembering the old you that thought this new thing would change everything.
And yet, here you are…probably considering another new thing.
Well, before you buy, download, or subscribe to that next new thing, why not take a second look at everything you already have?
Let’s do something like a “Does this bring me joy?” audit.
But think of it like: “Does/Did this thing bring me any noticeable change in my life?”
Look, I get it.
The possibility of that new thing being the antidote to a problem we semi-understand.
The chase, the hunt, the thrill of getting a coveted solution that may be the answer that you’re looking for.
The motivation of the dream version of yourself that you’ve always wanted to be.
Or maybe you’ve outgrown that solution and are in the market for something new.
Sometimes, I can’t look myself in the mirror when I stuff my Amazon basket with cute nonsense, have sleepless nights about the “JOIN OUR MEMBERSHIP” button dancing on my bedroom ceiling, or endlessly read and re-read sales pages of courses that I thoroughly convince myself that I desperately NEED.
But before you add to your already overflowing pile, ask yourself these questions:
Will I have time to use this new resource? If yes, when and where? (Tip: Block it into your calendar NOW!!!)
Why do I feel the need to download, buy, or subscribe to this new shiny thing? (Tip: Think of other failed solutions that you may have tried, and if you really need a change)
What problem or issue is this new shiny thing supposed to help me tackle, solve, or address? (Tip: Is this a pressing issue that affects your bottom line, or extra busy work for an imagined version of your business?)
These questions are supposed to help you pause before giving away your email or credit card details for yet another resource. And then, you end up deleting their follow-up emails week after week when they send you their “Let’s be more than BFFs” emails.
Everybody loses in the end.
Just like when I get crazy on Amazon, I like to take a pause and think about it for a day or two, or even a week. If I really need it and can’t stop thinking about it, then it stays in my basket. If not- I kick it OUT!
You can also try this strategy when it comes to freebies, new resources, etc.
Open a Notion page, an Apple Note, or your usual note-taking app.
Copy the link or even the image of the thing that you’re thinking about.
Don’t worry if it has an urgency button, if it will sell out in a few minutes, or if your 10% discount will disappear forever. The goal is to be mindful about what you want to add to your resource arsenal.
Take your time to think about it for another day or two. If you can’t stop thinking about it, go right ahead and get it. But if you already forget it before dinner time, it probably wasn’t worth your click in the first place.
Most importantly…don’t feel guilty if you feel like you may have missed out on the shiny new thing. There will always be another version of it elsewhere, or the creator will probably launch it again in the next 3 months or 6 months.
Now that you know that you want it, sign up for their waiting list. Or sign up for their newsletter. Then you will surely get a notification when it’s available again.
On a final note, don’t be a Niffler*– you don’t want all those shiny things weighing you down from moving ahead.
(*Reference from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)