The Silent Killer of Entrepreneurial Progress

Don't let busy-ness make you confuse motion with momentum

The following pursuits aren’t the business; they’re distractions:

• Obsessing over peripheral branding details: spending excessive time perfecting logos, business cards, website aesthetics, or social media graphics before validating the core product or service is an unnecessary waste of time because all good brands evolve. No one gets it right the first go-around. ❌

• Chasing every idea (”Shiny Object Syndrome”): constantly pivoting, exploring new features, or pursuing every potential partnership before fully executing on a value proposition diffuses focus and resources. ❌

• Endless research and planning (”Analysis Paralysis”): over-planning is a form of procrastination. ❌

• Networking for the sake of networking: focus on making the “right” connection over “lots of” connections. Because you can’t plan for serendipity, it’s not a viable strategy. ❌

As poet Stephen Dunn wisely noted:

“…Only a fool confuses activity with energy.”

Energy is directed, purposeful, and delivers results. Activity, on its own, is just noise.

True leverage isn’t found in activity; it’s found in relentless focus.