Refinement is my word of the year. 

In all things, I am aiming to refine. Not drastically change, not upend, not start completely over. Just tiny 1% incremental changes. 

It is not my modus operandi, as they say.  

My nature (maybe yours, too?) is to try new things. Scrap it and build it again. Rebrand. *insert jazz hands here*

It’s classic Shiny Object Syndrome at its best.

But let’s be honest: a rebrand too soon might be simply avoidance of a bigger problem.

Scrapping something and building it again might be the right move, but it also might be your perfectionist anxiety monster at play.

Trying new things in your business is the name of the game in entrepreneurship, but the ultimate question is: when is it shiny-object-syndrome and when is it strategic? 

And how do we decide when to try something new and when to stay consistent?  

It’s simply a matter of reflection and refinement.  

GET HONEST WITH YOURSELF

I have learned from Emily P. Freeman that reflection is simply a process of naming. To put a name to an experience, situation, or feeling is to see it clearly for what it is, no judgement.  

It seems to me refinement is deciding what to do what that moving forward.  

So, if you find yourself with a hardcore case of Shiny Object Syndrome, here’s step one: identify what’s working and what’s not within your business, whether it’s marketing-related, aesthetics, administrative, etc.

And then step two: The process of refinement – deciding on 1% incremental changes to make – helps us stay true to our brand without jumping ship or confusing our audience.

We can make little shifts that both align with our brand strategy and allow us to get unstuck. We can be strategic about our tendencies to want to try new things and focus our energy on what will best support our work rather than making decisions based on how “shiny” something is.

(Side note: if you’re thinking, wait do I even have a brand strategy?, I know the feeling. Stay tuned because I’m making things for you specifically!)

MAKE TIME TO REFLECT

July marks the halfway point in the year, and I am doing plenty of reflecting and refining in my work and personal life, too. I invite you to join me in reflecting on the past six months and refining your strategy for the next six, whatever that might look like for you.

I made a simple tool to help us both – head to the library to download your copy. And then comment here or shoot me an email and let me know what you’re refining for the rest of 2022. I’d love to support you and cheer you on.