Beware of Shiny Objects

Beware of Shiny Objects

Once you know where you’re headed, the biggest threat isn’t failure — it’s distraction.

And the hardest part?

Distractions don’t always look like mistakes.
Sometimes they look like opportunities.

The Most Dangerous Temptation in Business

When you’re building something new, the path to success is littered with shortcuts:

Shortcuts that promise quick money
Shortcuts that look like growth
Shortcuts that pull you away from your original vision

“The path to success is lined with tempting shortcuts that seem like faster routes to reaching your goals. Learning to ignore these distractions and stay committed to the success you’ve defined for yourself is a crucial lesson to master early on.”
— Success, Intended

One Rule That Changed Everything

A mentor of mine had a habit that stuck with me.
Every time I mentioned a new idea, tweak, or detour, he’d ask:

“How does that get you closer to your goal?”

It became a filter I applied to everything — and I still use it today.

“Any thought or action that you spend time on that doesn’t get you closer to your definition of success is a distraction.”
— Success, Intended

What That Looked Like at Instafuel

When we were building Instafuel, we said no to a lot of things:

No to ancillary products or services
No to partnerships with no clear return
No to one-off deals that weren’t recurring

We knew what worked — and we just kept doing it. Over and over again.
That discipline is what moved us forward.

“We never got distracted with selling ancillary services... we just focused on selling our fueling services to landscaping companies early on.”
— Success, Intended

Focus is a Competitive Advantage

When you’re laser-focused, you don’t waste time figuring out what to do next.
You already know.

Indecision and confusion are the downfall of most people.
Most people aren’t lacking time — they’re lacking clarity.

Try This 👇

Refer back to your personal definition of success
Write down everything that takes away your attention or time
Cross out anything that doesn’t move you directly toward that goal

“Resisting the urge to grab every dollar you see on the floor is incredibly challenging… but that’s exactly what’s required.”
— Success, Intended

Next up: Why culture isn’t about what's written down — and how your first hires will make or break your business.