Too Many Gurus: Why Less is More and How to Refocus

Are you overwhelmed by the volume of advice you see and read each day by business and marketing experts?

It's easy to get excited about trying new things in your business and ending up following a lot of experts on social media and subscribing to their eZines and newsletters.

But over time this can result in too many gurus, too much confusion and too little time to do everything they say you should be doing.

While it may seem like being a fan of several top experts is smart, following too many can actually fragment the results you are getting and hurt your overall success in the long run.

I often see this with new entrepreneurs where their head is literally spinning with ideas, but they are feeling way behind from not doing enough to grow their business, and they are confused with all the different directions they are being pulled.

As an example on how easy this can happen, one marketing guru suggests you do ‘x’ claiming that it’s really going to help you and resolve all your problems so you start doing ‘x’. Then another business development guru says ‘x’ is a waste of your time, you should do ‘y’ instead. Not to mention they rarely tell you HOW to do all of this, only that you should.

Sadly, there are more self-proclaimed experts now than ever before all wanting to give you the benefit of their advice and telling you about their formula for success. It could literally drive you crazy trying to follow everyone’s latest strategies, tactics and methods.

So what do you do?

First of all, be honest... are you guilty of following too many of these gurus? Have you signed up for several programs in hopes of getting the perfect step-by-step formula that will make you rich? Do you feel like you’re constantly chasing after the biggest and brightest shiny objects that promise all your problems will be solved?

If so, here's 6 tips to help you kick your guru addiction and get better focused on skyrocketing your results:

1) Determine the ONE thing that would help you grow your business the most.

What is it that you need to do? Do you need to create products? Improve your marketing? Boost profitability? Grow a team and take your business to the next level?

Once you decide your single most important goal, you can focus on that. And only that.

2) Find select few experts in the area you most need.

Challenge yourself to become much more selective at whose advice you take from. Find a very select group of mentors who have something of true value to offer.

Look for experts who challenge your thinking and stretch your boundaries. Ensure they have something of substance to say and are not just all promotion.

3) Go on an eZine Diet. If you have subscribed to dozens of newsletters, chop that list down to the top 3 that will help you the most in this chosen area. Unsubscribe to the rest.

Or try using a service like Unroll.me that groups the less important eZines into one daily rollup so they aren't cluttering up your inbox.

4) Cut Down Your Facebook Likes. If you are following a gazillion gurus, it can really distract you. Pare down your choices to those that offer value in their posts and speak to your primary goal.

To find the list of pages you’ve liked, go to your personal profile and find “Likes” in the row of options under your name. You may need to click the down arrow beside “More” to find it.

5) Make Uninterrupted Time to Read Your Mentor’s Advice. Think about it. Ponder it. Ask yourself how you can apply it and put it into action.

It's no good if you read about a great concept and never implement it. Follow-through is all about getting results.

6) Go Deeper. If you really feel in alignment with the teachings of your mentor, find a way to take it to the next level. Buy a product. Join a coaching group they are leading. Hire their services.

Or consider individual mentoring with them. When considering the cost of working with them, weigh it carefully against the value of the results you will achieve. Often times the price of mentoring will be returned to you many times by the personal and business gains you receive.

What's the opportunity cost of not coaching and staying right where you are?