How Social Media Destroys an Entrepreneur’s Ability to Succeed

This is true for everyone, not just entrepreneurs:

Focus and clarity are the foods of successful execution and creativity. Unfortunately, the fast paced, chaotic, information environment that entrepreneurs work in, means that true focus for a meaningful length of time, rarely occurs.

Producing a pitch that excites and inspires, innovating a product or coming up with solutions to new and unexpected problems are creative processes. Creativity needs peace and quiet to flourish.

The Same Impact as Two Joints of Marijuana

Research confirms that a steady stream of incoming information is one of the best ways to destroy creative thought and clarity. A study commissioned by Hewlett-Packard found that frequent use of e-mails and text messages has a detrimental effect on the brain and noticeable drop in IQ, equivalent to smoking two joints of marijuana.

Uninterrupted thought is a precondition that necessitates time away from the laptop, smartphone, office, or other distractions. Unfortunately, along with not taking the time to necessary to prepare a spellbinding pitch, people rarely allow themselves the necessary space, peace, and quiet.

Our increasing obsession with being always available and connected comes at the high price of creativity and clarity. This obsession also impacts the attention given by those entrepreneurs are pitching or selling to. Entrepreneurs who have pitched a group of investors will frequently report that one or more of their audience spent much of the meeting using their smartphones.

The Enemy of Execution and Strategy
Reading and responding to Tweets, Friend Requests and Inmails puts us in a reactive state which is not conducive to a proactive execution mindset. It is also impossible to achieve the clarity of mind necessary to effectively strategize and plan.

The solution is simple. When you need to focus, find a place that you cannot be disturbed or distracted. Turn all phones off, close down your e-mail and switch off your pc. Ideally be somewhere peaceful, away from your office or work space so that the residue or reminder of noise and distraction does not impinge on your creativity. Then begin.

By Martin Soorjoo

Martin is the creator of the Entrepreneur High Performance Program and author of ‘Here’s the Pitch‘ .