The Shiny Object Chaser

The Shiny Object Chaser thrives on inspiration. Their mind lights up with new ideas, possibilities, features, markets, or projects. They can generate ten compelling directions in an hour and switch between them with contagious excitement. Early stages energize them — the blank canvas, the spark, the initial momentum.

But this momentum doesn't last. Novelty gives way to boredom, resistance, or discomfort, and the mind jumps to the next idea. The cycle repeats: excitement → exploration → friction → escape. This creates bursts of progress but little completion.

Their intelligence is real. Their creativity is real. Their vision is often original. But without structure, their energy dissipates like a spark that never becomes a flame. The Shiny Object Chaser does not fail from lack of ability — they fail from unanchored attention.

Core Wound: A fear of confinement.

Deep down, the Shiny Object Chaser fears being trapped — in a project, idea, identity, or long-term commitment. Novelty feels like freedom; consistency feels like loss.

What They Optimize For: Stimulation over progress.

The nervous system prioritizes emotional charge rather than strategic momentum.

• High creativity and ideation ability
• Strong intuitive product sense
• Quickly spots opportunities and unused angles
• Energizes others with enthusiasm
• Excellent in early discovery phases
• Rapid learner when deeply interested
• Natural innovator and pattern spotter

• Jumping between projects before completion
• Difficulty sustaining attention
• Friction avoidance ("this part is boring" → drop)
• Emotional hypersensitivity to stagnation
• Chronic cycle of starting but not finishing
• Confusion between excitement and clarity
• Inability to commit to a single direction

Blind Spots:

• Overestimates value of new ideas and underestimates execution
• Cannot see how inconsistency compounds negatively
• Equates boredom with "this isn't right"
• Underestimates switching costs
• Doesn't notice how much time is lost in transitions
• Mistakes early excitement for long-term potential

Typical Demons:

• Restlessness — craving constant stimulation
• Self-Deception — rationalizing idea-hopping
• Control — avoiding long-term commitment by staying unanchored

Matching Angels:

• Embodied Presence — the ability to stay with a direction past the excitement curve
• Strategic Awareness — choosing deliberately, not impulsively
• Radical Insight — learning the skill of finishing, not only starting

1. The 30-Day Lock
   Commit to one project direction for 30 days — no switching, no "improvements," no pivots.
2. Boring First
   Begin each day with the task you least want to do. Builds friction tolerance.
3. Three-Project Limit
   Cap all active projects to three. Close or archive the rest.
4. Excitement Ledger
   When a new idea appears, don't act — write it in a ledger. Revisit weekly. Most ideas fade.
5. Completion Ritual
   Finish one small thing every day. Builds identity around completing, not just starting.

• Dozens of unfinished side projects
• Switching tech stacks, branding, or product direction often
• Strong enthusiasm early, quick drop-off later
• Overly optimistic timelines ("this will only take a weekend")
• New ideas arise precisely when hard work begins
• Confuses intuition with avoidance
• Prefers discovery over delivery

This persona appears in:

• Creators and product visionaries with high novelty-seeking
• Founders with ADHD-like attention patterns
• Early-stage builders who love exploration but resist commitment
• Innovators who generate more ideas than they can execute
• People who equate freedom with possibility, not direction

Seen in founders known for constant ideation and explosive creativity, whose brilliance shows in sparks — but who struggle to commit long enough for those sparks to become enduring products.