The world is absolutely flooded with new things, more than ever in history. I mean, just look at this image; a chimpanzee wearing Elton John-style sunglasses, sitting in an easy chair drinking Jack Daniels while reading War and Peace. That’s new, but is that really what you need?
No, not at all. You need something that is new to you. or, at least new to the context of your problem.
New is easy.
Scroll any feed for 10 seconds and you’ll be hit with 15 new frameworks, 8 “game-changing” tools, and at least one AI-generated quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln.
But productive, powerful and profitable? Well, that’s another story
New Doesn’t Mean Useful
We tend to chase “new” because it feels like forward motion. New is better, right? If I’m trying something new, I must be improving, right?
Not necessarily.
I’ve jumped into brand new tools, only to spend more time learning how to use them than solving the thing I actually needed to solve. And I’ve ignored perfectly good resources, ones I already had, because they didn’t feel fresh or exciting.
I was confusing novelty with progress. We all do that sometimes.
But real progress comes from finding the right fit for the problem, not the flashiest option on the shelf.
What Are You Actually Trying to Solve?
That’s the real question, and honestly, it’s where everything shifts.
Are you:
- Struggling to make sense of a tangled project?
- Stuck trying to get your team aligned on a moving target?
- Looking for a better way to focus when you’re being pulled in twelve directions?
The solution might be something new, but only if it’s tuned to your actual need.
Otherwise, it’s just another chimpanzee in sunglasses. Cute, but not helpful.
Ask a Better Question
Instead of asking what’s new, try asking:
“What’s useful, right now, for this specific challenge?”
Approaching things this way can help you to move from collecting clever distractions to shaping something that actually works. That can help clear the fog and S.O.S. (Shiny Object Syndrome), especially when I feel overwhelmed by options.
Try This
Here’s something simple:
Think of one shiny new thing you’ve tried in the last month. An app, a method, a book, whatever.
Now ask yourself:
- What problem was I trying to solve with it?
- Did it actually help?
- If not, what would help?
You might be surprised at how often the most helpful next step isn’t something new—it’s something familiar, used in a new way.
So… What’s Useful for You?
New is easy.
Useful takes a little more reflection, a little more time and thought. But it is so worth it.
I’d love to hear from you:
- What’s the most uselessly new thing you’ve tried lately?
- Or, what’s something old you rediscovered and found unexpectedly powerful?