Squirrel!

A client of mine just recently reminded me of one of the greatest challenges facing many of the most high potential people out there today: Squirrels!

Of course, I don't mean literal squirrels! I mean those opportunities that seem so interesting and so important that they immediately distract you.

Squirrel! 

This particular client is super-creative and completely enthusiastic about the potential that exists...and he see's that potential everywhere!

Squirrel!

The problem is that things he wants to accomplish get delayed as he becomes distracted by all the great squirrels that pass near him.

You don't necessarily have to ignore the squirrels in your life because they can represent valuable ideas. But you do have to learn to manage them. Here's a couple things you can do.

First and most important, have a specific goal that you want to accomplish. The emphasis is on specific. If the goal is not specific, it is simply a hope. When you have that specific goal in mind, you are better able to determine which squirrels help move that goal forward. It will take discipline, though.

With that goal established, you don't have to ignore all the squirrels. One idea is to keep a pad of paper handy--or, if you are a geek like me, use your voice recording app on your smartphone--to record the squirrels throughout the day. Set aside 15 minutes each night to review the days squirrels and decide what to do with them right then and there. Some will be ideas that you can incorporate right now. Others will be valuable to you some time in the future--create a file for them. And others will just be distractions--toss them.

If you can discipline yourself to incorporate these into your day, you will find that you will get more done and be more creative than ever. If the squirrels still drive you nuts (ha!- pun!), then you may wish to hire a coach to help keep you on track.