Shiny new toy syndrome

I've long suffered from shiny new toy syndrome. An obsessive interest in new gadgets. I tell myself it’s about the technology. The miraculous leaps.

But really, it’s just marketing. I don't need the Tandem OLED display of the new iPads for simple note-taking. Yet I want it. And I know all about it. My guilty pleasure is watching videos about it. It’s marketing at its most effective.

But the shiny new toy syndrome destroys more than it’s worth. It distracts from what matters. You tell yourself you need the latest features. But really—you don’t need it. You’re better off focusing on what actually matters.

Keep the interest in tech as a hobby. But pick a tech and stick with it to become truly productive.