NicP

Three feeds landed in my inbox overnight and I think readers who want to take a look at using social media or at their private lives in 2009, can benefit from reading it.

Six lessons from a wooden boy:

‘Six lessons from a wooden boy’, a post by Jennifer Laycock on Search Engine Guide in which she discusses the search for formulas to impress Google’s algorithms and rank well on Google search.

She advises against searching for formulas and suggest rather going for common sense. While Jennifer talks about search, her advice is valuable for life in general.

Are you going to spend 2009 to search for formulas? Formulas for happiness, formulas for making money, formulas for dealing with problems, formulas for finding friends and/or lovers, formulas for staying out of trouble at work, formulas for ensuring people know how important you are?

Heed Jennifer’s advice: rather apply common sense.

Can a formula ensure happiness, ensure you make money, deal with your problems, ensure you find real friends or a lover, let people realise how important you are? It may … but is not as effective as applying common sense.

Why?

Because, just as Google change their algorithms to comply with changing human behaviour, life changes the circumstances within which you live and operate. Formulas are not good at dealing with unexpected change – common sense is.

If your interest is social media and what it entails, read Jennifer’s post. If your interest is to do better in your private life, read Jennifer’s post.

But, what Jennifer’s use of Pinnocchio as an example probably tells us about ourselves is that we won’t be satisfied with what and who we are. We can change that and become ‘real’ boys and ‘real’ girls, just as Pinnocchio wanted to become a real boy. Nothing wrong with wanting to be better.

Just rather use common sense than formulas.

12 Things to stop doing in 2009:

12 Things to stop doing in 2009 is a post by Chris Brogan, one of the most popular bloggers on the Net.

Chris’ post is not really about the 12 things, but rather 6 things we need to do in 2009:

Chris’ 6 things to do in 2009:

1. Find a new way to improve someone’s day (and determine if there’s value in it)

The first point made calls on us to think not about ourselves but about someone else. This is the way I believe the 21st century will demand from people. We already see that happen on-line where one cannot demand attention, you have to earn it. Brick & mortar life is going to become the same. Go out, find someone to treat with your kindness and see if you are not astonished by the dividends.

2. Synthesize new ideas from outside your audience’s circle (and help us make meaning from them).

And, may I add, source ideas from outside your OWN circle. Too often do we see trouble and pain in the world, only because people lock themselves up in their own views. You will benefit, I will benefit, the world will benefit if you find ideas, motivation, creativity from a new source. Go find that new source, but remember, it must not have a familiar face, it must be completely new.

3. Promote the great people out there ( and and keep doing it).

Promoting people without being asked to do it and without expecting something in return, is more satisfying than you would imagine. I know. Just try it.

4. Learn from brilliant people (and share what you learn).

These days, you have the opportunity to learn from the best in the world, thanks to the Internet, to the growth in blogging and to the advent of social media. Whatever you need to learn, it’s on the Internet. And thanks to Google, you only have to search for it.

The Net is full of brilliant people, go learn from them.

5. Work on interesting projects that matter to you (and empower others to participate).

Our city is full of opportunities for volunteer work. If you hold the view that you do nothing unless you are paid, think again. You are missing a great opportunity to feel valuable.

6. Discover your passions (and share them openly).

There are so many talented people in our community – and obviously world-wide – that one wonders why the world is not a better place and why more problems are not solved.

You can complain about what is wrong in your community, or you can do something. Even if that ‘something’ is just to change your reaction to the problem. In every community there are passionate people with a contribution to make, if only they would do it in public.

Are you passionate about something? Go play on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs

To succeed in 2009, do these two things

Nicky Jameson gives good advice: throw out your New Year’s resolutions and set yourself goals instead.

Of course she’s right. New Year’s resolutions are motivated by old year’s dissatisfaction. That makes them colourless reactive emotions disguised as resolutions. Goals are defined, colourful intentions. But whether it is resolutions or intentions, they will not materialise unless you measure your success.

If it is too tall an order for you – as it will be for most people around the fifth of January, don’t feel guilty. Idling purposelessly through life is also a choice made. And that is how most people do it, anyway.

Conclusion

If you make no New Year’s resolutions, if you consciously decide to remain idle, if you do nothing else, at least go read what Chris, Jennifer and Nicky wrote.

You owe it, not to yourself, but to the people who have to live and work with you in 2009.

Those who will have to tolerate you.

May everything go right for you, may your dreams not remain dreams and may you be your own best friend in 2009.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 @ 10:50 on the category Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.