In WW2, the Allied forces pushed Hitler’s Nazi Germany into fighting a
Two Front War. By forcing Germany to battle the Western Allies on its west, and the Soviet Union on its east, Germany’s military prowess was diffused.
This was an important contributing factor that lead to Germany’s defeat.
Falling into the Shiny Things Trap is like making yourself fight a Two Front War. By diluting your attention, you’re putting yourself in a spot where military strategists desire to place their opponents.
Think about that for a minute.
Sure, sometimes you must fight Two Front Wars, and sometimes that pays off. After all, the US was indeed fighting in both Europe and the Pacific in WW2.
Still, spreading your efforts across a bunch of Shiny Things needlessly jacks up your risk of failure.