Anyone running their own business is always (or should always be) looking for ways to improve how they run their business. You should be open to new ideas and processes. Refining your business is healthy. Looking at new ideas is good. Thinking outside the box is great!

There's a limit to this however and you've reached that limit when you start chasing rainbows. Rainbows? Yes this means that you've become so distracted from your own business and your own ideas by the thoughts, ideas and proposals of others that you're no longer focusing on your business. When you reach this point it's time to stop. Physically and mentally stop and look at what you're doing. Are you really benefiting from that book you're reading? Is that teleseminar of any actual value or is it just another pitch fest for something you don't need? Is that business breakfast of any value or are you just going there to be seen? You need to be brutally honest with yourself about these things.

Have you ever fallen into this trap? Yes? That's ok because 99% of business people will suffer from this at times. Entire books have been written on the topic. These business rainbows are attractive and well marketed. We need to be honest with ourselves too and accept that we've given up our time to the act of chasing rainbows and not do it again or at the very least recognize these rainbows for what they are - a total distraction.

Here's an example. I love learning new things and I love seeing what other people are doing with their businesses. If I can learn something new each day then that day is a success. Recently I held up part of my business based on some online training I wanted to watch first. The training itself was deeply disappointing and the guy fell far, far, far short of what I was expecting to learn from him. Several projects were effectively delayed for 5 entire days because of this rainbow. It won't happen again.

There are very few "secrets" to be learned in business anymore. 99% of the important lessons have been taught and been learned.

Be brilliant at the basics of your business and the rest will follow. There's nothing at the end of that rainbow folks except perhaps frustration.