Issue #174: Web of Wonder
May 16, 2008
Web of WonderMatthew Poepsel, LeftBrain/Co-FounderRaise your hand if you're a fan of the Internet. For most of us, the web has become an essential part of everyday life. Simple tasks like finding directions in Duluth or looking up the name of the dog on "Mad About You" would be unthinkable without the power of the Internet. What started out as a government defense project is now a part of the fabric of everyday life for billions of netizens. Most nights you'll find me with my hand on my mouse, clicking away on sites like Yahoo!, the Capella University online library, and The Onion. It wasn't always that way, of course. My earliest experience on the web came while visiting my dad in the early-1990s. Back then, the Columbia Public Library provided him with dial-in access to a text-only, hypertext catalog of government and academic information resources. There wasn't much to look at, but I was already hooked. I returned home a few months later, and he showed me a Mozilla 1.0 browser and its limited graphics capabilities. Is that a clipart snowman? Now I'm definitely hooked. Over the years, the web continued to expand, and I was happy to ride the wave. Brochureware sites reigned supreme, but basic news and weather became available, as well. Amazon.com helped usher in an era of electronic commerce. (I'm still amazed at some of the things I can and do buy online.) The web became more functional and dysfunctional (Google and Webvan, respectively) in what to me felt like a tangible epoch of online fun and adventure. Then, in my mind, things started to slow down. I kept doing new things online (web-based email, online banking, etc.), but these things didn't have the same "revolutionary" feel as before. Every week, I'd be doing more, but the web became more utilitarian. It was a bit ho-hum. What had happened to that tingly feeling I used to get when I read up on the most recent web development? Had my passion gone out with the Dot-Com bust or did I just get numb from so much of the noise? I'm happy to report that my love affair with the web has been rekindled by a relatively recent web development: the social web. To be fair, the social web has been around in some form for some time. Yet the start and stop of historic eras such as the Industrial Age, the Renaissance, or Madonna's career, are tough to pinpoint sometimes. What arguably started as virtual communities such as The Well has morphed into a multiplex of social technologies and online behaviors. Just to name a few:
The social web is distinctly different from the one-way web of old. The social web is all about making connections, maintaining relationships, starting conversations, and contributing to the dialogue. So what does all of this mean for a goal achievement junkie? Plenty. The old web (which I still use frequently) allows you to find information, tips, self-help books, and even personal management tools (web-based to-do lists, etc.) These are extremely helpful and a distinct advantage for the modern goal-setter. Imagine if you had wanted to start your own business in 1880. When you went to open "Miss Kitty's Saloon", where would you start your research? And today? Fortunately, hundreds of great information resources are available online to get you going. Still, I feel like there's always been something missing from the goals equation. Namely, each other. For a long time, experts have known that pursuing goals in isolation is a recipe for disaster. Declaring your goals to others, asking them to help out, and sharing your progress with them are three simple, social things that can enhance goal achievement. There are a million other ways to use social means to accomplish personal goals, but I'll spare you the details. (For now.) So, yes, like millions of other people, I'm big on the power of social media. While most pundits are looking at the conversations and attention that are now moving to social networks, I'm looking at these tools as a way to eventually help people choose and achieve important personal goals. If we can go even further and combine the benefits of personal coaching with the power of the social web, who knows what great things might be possible? No one can really say for sure, but I'm certainly excited to find out! I suppose that we'll all have to stay tuned to see what develops. Related Links Directions in Duluth Quotes of the Week"Where there are friends, there is wealth." "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." |
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Coaching Quickie: Web of WonderWhen was your first time (online)?Follow the link above to vote for your response. While you're there lend us your feedback, or share some goals with fellow readers. Check back next week for results! Last Week's ResultsCoaching Quickie: A Li'l Bird Told Me If you missed it, you can read last week's newsletter online here. |
