Scott Whaley's Real Wealth Answers http://scottwhaley.posterous.com Breaking through to Real Wealth! posterous.com Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:58:00 -0700 Study Backs up Strategies for Achieving Goals — Dominican University of California http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/study-backs-up-strategies-for-achieving-goals http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/study-backs-up-strategies-for-achieving-goals

Study Backs up Strategies for Achieving Goals

Psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews has advice for those who put ‘stop procrastinating’ on their list of New Year’s resolutions: Share your goals with a friend.

Research recently conducted by Matthews shows that people who wrote down their goals, shared this information with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their stated goals than those who merely formulated goals.

Matthews became interested in the study of procrastination about 10 years ago after reading an article in Fast Company magazine about the “1953 Yale Study of Goals.” The premise of the study — that people who write down specific goals for their future are far more likely to be successful than those who have either unwritten goals or no specific goals at all — has inspired the teachings of many self-help authors and personal coaches.

The only trouble is that the study was never actually conducted. The 1996 Fast Company article debunked the Yale study as little more than an often-quoted urban legend.

However, Matthews’ research now backs up the conclusions long attributed to the mythical Yale study.

“With the proliferation of business and personal coaching and the often anecdotal reports of coaching success, it is important that this growing profession be founded on sound scientific research,” Matthews said.

Matthews recruited 267 participants from a wide variety of businesses, organizations, and networking groups throughout the United States and overseas for a study on how goal achievement in the workplace is influenced by writing goals, committing to goal-directed actions, and accountability for those actions. Participants ranged in age from 23 to 72 and represented a wide spectrum of backgrounds.

Participants in Matthews’ study were randomly assigned to one of five groups. 

Group 1 was asked to simply think about the business-related goals they hoped to accomplish within a four-week block and to rate each goal according to difficulty, importance, the extent to which they had the skills and resources to accomplish the goal, their commitment and motivation, and whether they had pursued the goal before (and, if so, their prior success). 

Groups 2-5 were asked to write their goals and then rate them on the same dimensions as given to Group 1.

Group 3 was also asked to write action commitments for each goal.

Group 4 had to both write goals and action commitments and also share these commitments with a friend.

Group 5 went the furthest by doing all of the above plus sending a weekly progress report to a friend.

Broadly categorized, participants’ goals included completing a project, increasing income, increasing productivity, improving organization, enhancing performance/achievement, enhancing life balance, reducing work anxiety, and learning a new skill.  Specific goals ranged from writing a chapter of a book to listing and selling a house.

Of the original 267 participants, 149 completed the study. These participants were asked to rate their progress and the degree to which they had accomplished their goals.

At the end of the study, the individuals in Group 1 only accomplished 43 percent of their stated goals. Those in Group 4 accomplished 64 percent of their stated goals, while those in Group 5 were the most successful, with an average 76 percent of their goals accomplished.

“My study provides empirical evidence for the effectiveness of three coaching tools: accountability, commitment, and writing down one’s goals,” Matthews said.

Facts...are convenient things! Check it out!

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Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:41:00 -0700 Outside of the box...The future w/ Ray Kurzweil... http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/outside-of-the-boxthe-future-w-ray-kurzweil http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/outside-of-the-boxthe-future-w-ray-kurzweil
Join Ray Kurzweil, & more on 8/3/11 in a historic conversation about the future. Watch LIVE @ cinemas nationwide! http://bit.ly/mQK8JO

Out of the box post...I know but I've gotta tell you Ray Kurzweil is an unbelievable genius I have followed for awhile and he's written awesome books on the future and so far he is batting about 80%! plus makes it fascinating to boot. He predicted much of where we are now 10 years ago when I started following him. If you like Discovery Channel this along those lines...just a little more technological and futurisic. Love to hear your thoughts afterwords.

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Sun, 22 May 2011 15:55:54 -0700 Customer Stalking – When Is Your Twitter Response Too Fast? http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/customer-stalking-when-is-your-twitter-respon http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/customer-stalking-when-is-your-twitter-respon
Convince and Convert Blog: Where Social Media and Email Collide

neicole2 Customer Stalking When Is Your Twitter Response Too Fast?Guest post by Neicole Crepeau, an Online Strategist at Coherent Interactive. She blogs at Coherent Social Media.

The other week, I was participating in Jay’s hashtagsocialmedia.com chat on social media. (It takes place every Tuesday at noon EST.) The exchange is below:

@jaybaer #sm107 BONUS Q4. How important is speed of response on Twitter? And can a company be TOO fast = creepy?

@neicolec: Q4: If support problem, no reply too fast. If I made a comment, a fast reply creeps me out. #sm107

It’s true. I get creeped out when a brand on Twitter replies quickly to a comment I just made. Probably a lot of people do. It may seem inconsistent and fickle, but we don’t always like a fast response to a brand mention on Twitter. In some cases, it might be best not to respond at all.

The key to deciding how fast to respond is to take off your business hat and put on your person hat. Think less about your business and more about appropriate behavior in a social situation.

spies 200x300 Customer Stalking When Is Your Twitter Response Too Fast?

Eavesdropping With A Purpose

The circumstance where I definitely do want a fast response is when I’m having a problem. I’ve had several companies respond quickly to conversations I was having with others about their products. Livefyre responded when I complained to my friend Mark W. Schaefer that my comment on his blog wasn’t uploading. And just last week, Triberr’s Dan Cristo helped me out when I told Gini Dietrich that I didn’t understand how to use Triberr. I was happy to have them eavesdropping, and happy to have them offer assistance.

In this circumstance, no response is too fast. Presumably, the customer has tried to figure out a solution on their own. By the time they reach out, they’re frustrated and maybe angry. They just want the problem solved now. (in fact, ExactTarget’s research on Twitter found that most customers turn to it as the third option, after they’ve been dissatisfied by a company’s phone and email response).

That’s one of the benefits of real-time monitoring and response—you may be able to intervene before the customer gets to the boiling stage. If someone is complaining about a problem, they are almost never going to be upset that you overheard, stuck your nose in it, and solved the problem.

Business hat: I’m monitoring conversations about my product. Someone just said they’re having a problem with it. I’ll provide good customer support by asking if I can help solve the problem right away.

Person hat: Those two tourists are looking at a map. Oh, I just heard one of them ask how to get to the market. I know just how to get there. Let me go over and help them.

It works in either scenario. If you were lost in the real world and someone offered to help, you’d feel grateful. (Except if you’re a New Yorker, in which case, mind your own business!)

Customer Service vs. Customer Stalking

Most of us who are digitally savvy know that we are being served online ads based on information that Google, Facebook, and others collect about our online activities.  Many of us accept it as the price we pay for so much free content.

Still, if you visit Ford’s website, and then every ad you see for the next two days is for Ford, it kind of creeps you out.  It’s like you’re being banner ad stalked. Maybe you know in the back of your mind that advertisers are watching you, but you don’t want it to be so obvious!

This effect is even worse on social networks. When you’re on Twitter and someone @’s you, you know that a person is talking to you. Even if it’s a branded account instead of a personal one, with a logo instead of a person’s photo, you are still very aware that it is a person tweeting to you. So, when someone tweets about the great deal on Wii’s at this or that store, just after you’ve made a comment that you’re thinking of buying a Wii, it feels like stalking. It feels like that person was spying on you.

Business hat: I’m monitoring the real-time conversation for opportunities. Someone just mentioned they are thinking of buying a new minivan. That’s a prime sales opportunity—at the point of decision. I’ll tell them we have good prices and give them a link to our site.

Person hat: I’m talking with a friend at a party about buying a new minivan. The sleazy guy at the buffet table behind us leans over and says, “I heard you mention you want to buy a minivan. I have great prices at my dealership. Here’s my card.”

Yuck.

Even something less spammy can be creepy. Let’s say I @ a Twitter friend in response to a question. I tell her that she should try Livefyre for her comment system. And then @Livefyre immediately tweets, “Let us know if you have any questions!”

I’m sorry. That’s asynchronous and icky. Livefyre might just be trying to be helpful, but it feels like they are spying on a private conversation, and are a bit too eager to please. Even though I clearly like the product and am suggesting it, I don’t like them intruding into my private recommendation to a friend.

That’s ridiculous, you might say. The conversation isn’t private. You’re on Twitter, for goodness sake. And it’s hypocritical. You didn’t mind them intruding when you had a problem.

It doesn’t matter if it’s hypocritical, though. People aren’t logical, and social rules are subtle and can seem capricious. Still, when they’re broken, we know. I may have a hard time explaining why that gentleman is standing too close when we’re out here on the street, even though it would be acceptably close in a crowded elevator. Nevertheless, if he’s standing too close, I’m uncomfortable.

So, let’s try our hats on again for this last situation.

Business hat: I’m monitoring the real-time conversation. Someone just recommended our brand of luggage. I’ll make sure they know we can answer any questions, and that they have my contact info.

Person hat: I’m on the subway talking with my friend about her travel plans. I recommend this great travel bag I bought. The guy behind us leans over the seat and says “I’m a sales rep for that luggage. Do you have any questions? Here’s my card.”

Creepy. You want to just brush him off. Chances are my friend is going to throw away that business card, even though she wants the luggage.

The next time you’re wondering how fast to respond to someone’s mention of your brand, take my advice: put your person hat on first.

Sent with Reeder

Sent from my iPad

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Sun, 22 May 2011 15:51:22 -0700 Article: Seth's Blog: Easy and certain http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/article-seths-blog-easy-and-certain http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/article-seths-blog-easy-and-certain

Seth's Blog: Easy and certain
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/05/easy-and-certain.html


Seth’s Blog - Easy and certain

The lottery is great, because it’s easy. Not certain, but easy. If you win, the belief goes, you’re done.

Medical school is great because it’s certain. Not easy, but certain. If you graduate, the belief goes, you’re done.

Most people are searching for a path to success that is both easy and certain.

Most paths are neither.

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Sun, 22 May 2011 14:44:54 -0700 test post http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/test-post http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/test-post

Let’s see if this goes to the blog.

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Sun, 22 May 2011 14:25:00 -0700 Untitled http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/54046500 http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/54046500

Lets see if Posterous is really that easy!

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Sat, 21 May 2011 10:38:59 -0700 Scott@realwealthseminars.com sent you a link to content of interest http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/scottrealwealthseminarscom-sent-you-a-link-to http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/scottrealwealthseminarscom-sent-you-a-link-to Scott@realwealthseminars.com sent you a link to the following content:

Self directed effort is the best kind
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/05/self-directed-effort.html

The sender also included this note:

Seth Godin says coaching makes you weaker. WOW! I know a few professional traders, investors and athletes who might disagree. What do you think?

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Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:35:00 -0700 Untitled http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/51387196 http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/51387196

Testing Posterous1

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Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:29:07 -0700 The Danger Of Strategies That Work http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-danger-of-strategies-that-work-0 http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-danger-of-strategies-that-work-0

What is one of the biggest threats to your success?  It is being exposed and attempting to implement a strategy when you do not have the ones upon which it rests mastered.  This is what 95% of all investors do.  They want so badly to be an investor and make money now that they fail to master steps 1 or 2 before they go on to moneymaking step #5.   Because no one like a coach or teammate alerts them they never know why they are failing….and so….they attribute their failure to everything except what is truly going on.

-        Scott Whaley

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Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:35:46 -0700 The Danger of Strategies that work http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-danger-of-strategies-that-work http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-danger-of-strategies-that-work

What is one of the biggest threats to your success?  It is being exposed and attempting to implement a strategy when you do not have the ones upon which it rests mastered.  This is what 95% of all investors do.  They want so badly to be an investor and make money now that they fail to master steps 1 or 2 before they go on to moneymaking step #5.   Because no one like a coach or teammate alerts them they never know why they are failing….and so….they attribute their failure to everything except what is truly going on.

-        Scott Whaley

From: Scott Whaley [mailto:scott@realwealthseminars.com]
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2010 6:19 AM
To: 'post@posterous.com'
Subject: test 2 Posterous please work!

Test 2a to Posterous please work

www.RealWealthAnswers.com

www.RealWealthInvestor.com

(619) 665-3543

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Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:32:00 -0700 The ONE Thing You Can’t Afford NOT to Pay Attention to During These Economic Times http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-one-thing-you-cant-afford-not-to-pay-atte http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/the-one-thing-you-cant-afford-not-to-pay-atte

The ONE Thing You Can’t Afford NOT to Pay Attention to During These Economic Times

http://www.mandybass.com/blog/lead-preservation/

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Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:34:00 -0700 Untitled http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/23505906 http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/23505906

Remember Randy Pausch?   A master of getting the most out of life....regardless of the circumstances.  This is a great way to get focused for the upcoming Mind Rev Weekendn as well as the rest of our lives....what do you think?

I think these are the best of Randy Pausch quotes.....I hope you get as much out of them as I.

  1. Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I’m dying and I’m having fun. And I’m going to keep having fun every day, because there’s no other way to play it.
  2. We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.
  3. We don’t beat the Reaper by living longer. We beat the Reaper by living well.
  4. It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s all about leading your life. If you lead your life in a right way, karma will take care of itself. And dreams will come to you.
  5. If I only had three words of advice, they would be, tell the truth. If I got three more words, I’d add, all the time.
  6. The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!
  7. Be good at something. It makes you valuable. Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome.
  8. Better to fail spectacularly than do something mediocre.
  9. Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
  10. When there’s an elephant in the room introduce him.
  11. Be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity.
  12. Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you. It might even take years, but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting.
  13. Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself.
  14. Don’t complain. Just work harder. That’s a picture of Jackie Robinson. It was in his contract not to complain, even when the fans spit on him.
  15. Get a feedback loop and listen to it. Your feedback loop can be this dorky spreadsheet thing I did, or it can just be one great man who tells you what you need to hear. The hard part is the listening to it.
  16. When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care.
  17. If you’re going to do anything that pioneering you will get those arrows in the back, and you just have to put up with it.
  18. Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work.
  19. I probably got more from that dream and not accomplishing it than I got from any of the ones that I did accomplish.
  20. I’ll take an earnest person over a hip person every day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term.

If you haven’t done so already, watch the last lecture and read the book which provides a bit of background information to better understand the man and his story.

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Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:44:00 -0700 Success is...... http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/23412297 http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/23412297

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. ~Dr Maya Angelou

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Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:13:48 -0700 Hi There! It's Me! Scott Whaley just saying Hi! http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/hi-there-its-me-scott-whaley-just-saying-hi http://scottwhaley.posterous.com/hi-there-its-me-scott-whaley-just-saying-hi
Scott_press_pic_cropped

Replace the subject line and body with your first blog post and hit send! Include pictures, an mp3, or anything else you want to share. It's just that simple.

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