688: (Solo) I Lost Years Of My Life To This One Mistake (And You're Probably Making It Right Now)
The Foundr Podcast with Nathan ChanShow Notes
I have never said this directly on the show before, but shiny object syndrome did not cost me months. It cost me years. Entire years where the Foundr team was spread across five or six initiatives instead of going deep on one or two. And the worst part is it never felt like a mistake. It felt like being smart because I kept seeing opportunities everywhere.
Here is the problem: every new thing you chase takes focus away from the thing that is already working. And the most dangerous shiny objects are not the bad ideas. They are the good ones that just are not the right ones for right now.
In this episode, I share the three question decision making matrix I use now before committing to anything new at Foundr, two real examples of it in action, and why the founders running billion dollar companies almost always do one or two things exceptionally well rather than chasing everything.
Here's what you'll take away:
The three question matrix: ease of execution, financial impact, and customer impact, and how to score any new idea honestly before you commit
How we used the matrix to greenlight Foundr's sponsorship arm and turn a cost centre into a high margin revenue stream with one person managing it
Why the Kickstarter coffee table book that raised $200,000 was still the wrong decision, and what eight months of lost focus actually cost
Why good ideas are more dangerous than bad ones when it comes to shiny object syndrome
Alex Hormozi's concept of pushing through the depths of despair rather than jumping to the next thing when something gets hard
What Steve Jobs did when he came back to Apple and why doing fewer things at the highest level is still the most boring and most powerful strategy in business
If you are spread across too many initiatives right now or about to chase something new because it feels exciting, this episode will give you a clear filter for making that call before it costs you time you are not getting back.
If you're loving this solo series, I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
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