We frequently get distracted by new product ideas and market opportunities that seem highly lucrative but pull our operational team away from our core business. How do we use our Core Focus™ to filter these opportunities without stifling our entrepreneurial spirit?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Your Core Focus™ is the ultimate filter designed to protect your business from shiny object syndrome. It is made of two parts: your passion, purpose, or cause, and your niche. When a new product idea or market opportunity arises, you must run it through this filter before spending any time or money on it. If the opportunity does not align with your core passion and your specific niche, you must say no. This does not mean you stifle your entrepreneurial spirit; it means you focus your creative energy where you have the highest probability of success. Trying to pursue every lucrative idea dilutes your resources and confuses your team. If an idea is highly compelling but clearly sits outside your Core Focus™, put it on your long-term issues list. This allows you to capture the idea without letting it disrupt your current quarterly Rocks and one-year plan. At your annual planning session, you can evaluate these long-term issues and decide if your Core Focus™ needs to evolve. Until then, use the tool as a shield to keep your team aligned and focused on execution.