Bright Shiny Object Disorder

Staying focused on your own individual integrity is the name of the game.

In business and in life there are more distractions than ever. In fact, it has become so commonplace that now there is a diagnosis for the condition… SOS or Shiny Object Syndrome. I, myself, coined a similar term, Bright Shiny Object Disorder, or BSOD. Essentially, it works like this. We get so busy filling our lives with things that are interesting, or intriguing, that we begin to lose focus. As a result, many things get started, but nothing ever gets finished.

This happens to businesses all the time. In fact, tech companies are known for chasing every fad, turning it into a product that we can’t live without. Six months later, they develop a new variation and the cycle repeats. Since it’s all bright and shiny, we simply have to have it. Television stations do the same thing. They spend millions of dollars to create a new program, only to can it after six or seven episodes. That’s Bright Shiny Object Disorder. Those types of things might be able to work in the business world. It is easier to absorb something like that if your industry is designed to respond accordingly, by producing another product that is sustainable and turns a profit. However, in life it is much different. Bright Shiny Object Disorder can really be a hindrance.

Take me for example. In my own life I receive text messages, Facebook messages, emails, phone calls, voice mails, of calls that I can’t get to, messages on facebook messenger, Twitter, Google Plus… and I haven’t even left the house yet! If I took the time to respond to each and every one, I would not get very much accomplished during my day. The problem is, I like the interaction. If you know anything about me, you know that I love posting and interacting on social media. I know this about me, so I have to keep it in check. It’s a delicate dance (or roller derby in my case). Doing that dance is easy though. I just have to remember who I am.

I became a gardener because I enjoy working and creating outdoors. On any given day I’ve got 3 to 6 people waiting and wanting my direction. While I’ve claimed more than once to suffer from ADHD, this is a self proclaimed diagnosis. My awareness is ultimately what drives me. My passion and inspiration are what lead and direct my life on a daily basis. I’m of the philosophy that each of us needs to find our own unique inspiration. We need to find that dream, or those dreams, that most inspire us, and seemingly, best suit us.

I’ve been dreaming of being a landscaper since I was a kid.

Sometimes the vision was me as an operator…

 

or myself as the horticulturally saavy gardener…

 

The reason TV was easy for me was that I was playing the role I’d always seen myself as, in the first place.

I enjoyed the work because it was fulfilling. That leads me to the following summary about life. Finding time to be selfish is healthy. Finding time to focus on what’s most important to self is a means of maintaining one’s own sustainability. Yes our friends are important, and yes, our spouses and children are important. Hell! Life is important! But focusing on ourselves is by far our primary need, if we want to truly be happy in our lives. Taking time to love ourselves is not what our society promotes or encourages.

However, at the end of this month, I will be doing just that. The plan is for me, and a group of other dynamic speakers, to get together for a time of encouragement, inspiration, and positivity. The event is called Alive Again Positive Living, and it will take place in Palm Springs, California. You can find all of the information by clicking the link above, and I hope you can attend. Being a part of this event will give you the tools and resources necessary for you to maintain yourself as a priority. That way you can really make an impact on the lives and businesses of those people around you.
I, myself, will be speaking on the topic of love. You don’t want to miss it! When you think about it, that’s not too far from what I do as a gardener. Nothing grows unless you give it the proper amount of time and attention, also known as love. The same is true for you. Without the proper amount of time and attention you will wither up! Manifesting what your heart’s desire is, is essential to your well being.

So go get caught up in yourself. You’ll only get one life, and one opportunity, to do so.

Follow Celebrity Landscaper Ahmed Hassan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram! #TeamAhmed #GoGreenWithAhmed #BSOD