Trailhead Thoughts
“Your results are the product of either personal focus or personal distractions. The choice is yours.”
- John Di Lemme
Trail Map - Learn. Think. Act. ™
Stop Chasing Shiny Things.
New idea.
New tool.
New opportunity.
It feels productive, but is it?
When you say “Yes” to the shiny thing, what are you saying “no” to? What happens if you say no? How much focus can you keep on the things that are most important?
Let’s simplify decision-making so you stop driving and start focusing.
📚Learn
Most bad decisions don’t feel bad.
They feel helpful. They feel exciting. They feel urgent.
The problem?
We justify them with one reason.
“Someone needs help.”
“It could be useful.”
“It sounds cool.”
But strong decision-makers add a second filter. The first decision is based on the X-axis (first criteria). Before moving forward, they add the Y-Axis question. (second criteria).
Here’s an example.
Does this help me win? (yes/no)
Is it the thing that needs to happen now? (yes/no)
And even simpler:
Does this move me closer to my goal?
Does it align with my strategy?
If the answer is no, in both cases, it’s a distraction. If it’s no in one, but not the other - some additional thinking may be required.
Clarity creates focus.
Focus kills shiny objects.
When you know your top priorities (Health, Wealth, Happiness, or your top 4-5 business goals) decisions get easier.
No clarity —> constant distraction.
Clear priorities —> faster decisions.
🤔Think
Where do you get pulled off track?
When you’re tired?
When you’re stressed?
When someone asks for help?
When a new “cool” idea shows up?
Now ask yourself:
Do I have clear decision-making criteria?
Do I know my top priorities in order?
When I say yesterday to something new, what am I in turn saying no to?
If you’re leading a team, ask one more hard question:
If we add this, what are we removing?
Adding without eliminating creates chaos.
💪 Act
Here’s your simple focus filter to start today:
Write down your top 3-5 priorities
For every new idea, ask:
Does this align with priority #1?
Does it align with our strategy?
If yes, move forward.
If no, don’t do it.
If you still want to do it, decide what you will eliminate first.
This - “Creating Focus, through Lines of Clarity” Tool might help you. Think of the ICP as your bullseye. Use statements to hone in on your bullseye.
Want to go deeper on this - check out this post.
Keep it simple.
Don’t be a shiny object chaser.
Don’t be a shiny object creator for your team.
Clarity → Focus → Execution
What’s one shiny thing you can or need to eliminate this week?
