Social Media vs. Spoken Words

Social Media vs. Spoken Words

What I wrote may not be what you heard!

By: Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, May 27, 2020

Have you considered the difference and lingering effects between words written on Social Media platforms or in a book or document such as this one, as compared to words that are spoken?  There is a huge difference; like the difference between 2D movies and 3D movies.  3D movies have more depth and are usually more enjoyable.  Social Media by comparison are simply words that appear on a screen absent any inflections, emphasis, or pauses; they are just words (2D).  When engaged in conversations, people are able to put emphasis on certain words by speaking louder or softer, or even inserting a pause….for effect (3D).  Such emphasis can change the meaning of what was said.  Writers, other than on Social Media, can do some of the same things by inserting…to reflect a pause, or EMBOLDEN and or UNDERLINE letters to emphasize a word or words as compared to the rest of the sentence; almost 3D but not quite.

As an example, let’s consider this one short sentence.  It is an ugly sentence but it was the one that was used to teach the principle to me so many decades ago.

I did not say I beat my wife today.

The actual intended meaning of the sentence greatly depends upon which word or words you place your emphasis.  To illustrate this, I will EMBOLDEN just a word(s) to change the actual meaning of the sentence.

• I…did not say I beat my wife today.  I didn’t say it, someone else must have said it.
• I did not…say I beat my wife today.  Just didn’t say it!
• I did not say…I beat my wife today.  I may have thought about it but I didn’t actually say it.
• I did not say I…beat my wife today.  This is my favorite; I did not say I beat my wife but that doesn’t mean someone else didn’t beat her.
• I did not say I beat…my wife today.  This is all about definitions.  What do you mean when you say “beat?”  I may have roughed her up a bit but I certainly didn’t beat her!
• I did not say I beat my…wife today.  Definitely NOT my wife but you ought to see the neighbor’s wife.
• I did not say I beat my wife…today.  It wasn’t my wife that I beat but you ought to see my kids.
• I did not say I beat my wife today.  It wasn’t today, but yesterday is another story. 

Think about some of the posts on Social Media you may have read or even posted.  Is it possible that the reader understands a meaning you did not intend?

  

Challenge:

• Read what you post on line before you actually post it.  I would even suggest reading it twice for both spelling and grammar. 

• If you are posting from your smart phone, the chances of spell check inserting the wrong word seem to be enhanced.  You can also make mistakes simply by hitting the wrong letters on your very small keyboard and the misspellings remain or spell check takes over and inserts a word it thinks is the one you wanted to include. 

• BEFORE you respond to a post make certain you understand what the sender intended.  If you don’t, take the time to ask what was meant by the post. 

• You read a post about today being “hump day” but you know it is Thursday, not Wednesday.  This is an obvious example but some posts are not so obvious as to when they were initially posted.  Before you draft a response that you may be pointing out something that happened AFTER the initial post, check the time the initial post was made.  Doesn’t happen all that often but it is worth checking. 

• PC Police are abundant on Social Media and they will dissect your posts to insure you haven’t offended someone.  Keep in mind that your mother was right!  Sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you.  What your mother and my mother left off was, words will never hurt you unless you allow them to.  Read your post BEFORE you post it to make certain that you are not unintentionally offending someone.  Even so, there are times when you just have to say what needs to be said, I understand that. 

• Don’t use language in your posts that you wouldn’t use in front of your children or someone else’s children.  For a great many people, they have begun using the common “four-letter” words with regularity.  In the minds of many, such posts oftentimes lowers the IQ and/or opinion of the person making the post.  When that occurs, the sender loses a great deal of credibility and may even be blocked by the recipient. Simple question, would you want your own children to read what you have posted? 

• If you are member of a group(s), FOLLOW THE RULES of the group(s).  One such rule for most groups is that there are to be NO political posts.  Don’t break the rules. 

• If you post a statement that is based upon facts, a news release, or a specific Internet site or report, reference your material.  Let the reader know from where the apparent facts of your post came from and that enables the reader to read what you read to verify what you have posted.  If that is your intention, that is a good thing. 

• If you wouldn’t say something to a person’s face, you may want to think twice about posting something because you have the perceived safety of doing so on your computer/smart phone screen. 

• Say what you mean, mean what you say!  Always a good rule to follow. 

• Stop with the never ending, “if you don’t forward this something horrible will happen….” messages!  If someone believes it should be forwarded, they will forward it.  Please stop! 

• Avoid becoming a Social Media PC “nut job!”   Funny, you the reader may think that is what I just did by writing this Nugget but that was never my intention.

ANALYZE PEOPLE

A Power Course To Instantly Analyze Anyone

By Lance P. Richards

A book review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, 22 May 2020

This final paragraph explains the benefits of this book:

“As novelist Dick Wittenborn said, we are the sum of all the people we have ever encountered, met, and interacted with. Community changes us, and we change the community. With a keen and kind understanding, we can direct these changes toward the good and the positive.”

Analyze People is the fourth of four books written by Lance P. Richards.  Collectively they provide the reader with an extremely valuable in sight to people including yourself.  This last of the four books truly causes you to first analyze yourself before you attempt to analyze (define) others.  Why is this important?  I look at everything I read through the prism of a 33-year career in real estate sales with the emphasis on the word sales.  My experience has taught me that if you can properly analyze your probable buyers and sellers, you can adjust your presentation on the fly to literally match their beliefs and attitudes.  Why is that important?  Because it is easier to do business with people you like and it is easier to like people who are like you.

Like the other books, this one causes you to pause and think about how what was written applies to you and that is always a very good thing to do.  This book is a gem full of valuable information that you can use in developing personal relationships, business relationships and especially for people in sales who want to make more sales.  Based upon my real estate experience, this book should be required reading BEFORE a real estate sales agent meets with their first customer; it will make a difference!

Who should read this book?  Since it would benefit everyone, everyone should read it.  I think teenagers would especially benefit reading the book by showing them how to avoid typical struggles with life and relationships BEFORE they become problems. It also makes it easy to identify what you may need to work on in regards to your own personality and character.

Would I read it again?  Probably not, the lessons of the book were well learned but I would revisit the questions he suggests we all ask and answer and then grade the results.

Would I give it as a gift?  ABSOLUTELY!

Special Note:  You can purchase the books individually or you can purchase them as a group of four as I did.  Here is the link to purchasing them as a group of four may be the best $5.99 you will ever INVEST in yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Gym-Emotional-Intelligence-Differently-ebook/dp/B075XMSKVG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Analyze+People+Lance+P.+Richards&qid=1590152703&sr=8-1

A Must Read for Business and Relationships

MINDSET MASTERY

Take Back Your Life and Overcome Limitations

By Lance P. Richards

A book review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, 16 May 2020

One of the opening paragraphs in the Introduction describes exactly what this book wants you to be able to accomplish for yourself.

“You will learn how to develop a winning mindset, enhance Emotional Intelligence, become self-motivated, develop confidence in yourself, take better care of your body, be more productive, build smart habits, and so much more!”

The book does in fact achieve that and much more.  I read a lot of book through the prism of a 33-year real estate sales career.  Everyone involved in sales ought to read this book, the third in a series of four.  Thus far, this statement would apply to all three of the books and I am predicting the last book in the series, Analyzing People will be equally as beneficial.

While every section would be instructional, the section on developing a “growth mindset” ought to be paramount in anyone’s personal development.  If you are not growing you are falling behind, it is that simple.  Richards explains the importance of developing a pro-growth mindset and then sets about explaining how you achieve one.  One such example is his explanation of aiming for learning not winning.  Richards also provides self-tests to ascertain your current understanding of your own attitude and it is very revealing.  As in his previous books, I had to fight the urge to think that so-and-so ought to be reading this book.  While that may be true, it is still a vital instructional manual for me as well as anyone who reads it.

Richards points out a quote from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  If you understand this, you will understand the value of this book.  It is all about creating habits that will help you rather than hurt you and your business and personal relationships.

  

Who should read this book?  Since it would benefit everyone, everyone should read it.  I think teenagers would especially benefit reading the book by showing them how to get started on the right paths leading them to a successful career and life.

Would I read it again?  Probably not, the lessons of the book were well learned but I would revisit the questions he suggests we all ask and answer and then grade the results.

Would I give it as a gift?  ABSOLUTELY!

Another Gem to learn from!

THE POWER OF SILENCE

Winning the Battle Over the Noise of Life

By Lance P. Richards

A book review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, 16 May 2020

The opening paragraph in this second of four books by Lance P. Richards, perfectly describes this book:

“Do you constantly find yourself stressed out, tired, or overwhelmed?  Do you want to step away from the noise of life?  Are you looking for simple yet effective strategies to attain rest and relaxation?”

Richards explains in this book why rest and relaxation are so important you and your health.  More importantly he provides you with excellent ways to achieve the rest and relaxation your mind and body needs.  He also explains how and why to identify unhealthy habits and reflects on why we should focus on what is important in our lives.  One very important discussion involves rekindling the joy and benefits of reading; something currently lacking in our American society where people use the excuse that they are too busy to read.

We have all heard about the benefits of meditation.  Richards does not delve deep into the benefits but does provide the reader with easy to understand forms of meditation that you may heretofore had not thought of as meditation techniques. 

I found this book extremely helpful in understanding the value of silence as Richards defines it which does not necessarily mean the lack of noise.  He explains how just spending time in nature is in itself a form of meditation and finding a lack of noise in nature is difficult.  Yet spending time in nature can help you with not only relaxation but enables you to breath in clean fresh air at the same time.

This second of four books is an excellent read!  I found that like the first book, reading it causes you to stop reading and to just sit and think about what was written and how it applies to your life.  That is always a very good thing to do!

Who should read this book?  Since it would benefit everyone, everyone should read it.  I think teenagers would especially benefit reading the book by showing them how to avoid typical struggles with life and relationships BEFORE they become problems.

Would I read it again?  Probably not, the lessons of the book were well learned but I would revisit the questions he suggest we all ask and answer and then grade the results.

Would I give it as a gift?  ABSOLUTELY!

EMOTIONALINTELLIGENCE

Control Your Emotions and Eliminate Fear

By Lance P. Richards

A book review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, 20 May 2020

Have year ever had thoughts while reading a book, “Hey, so-and-so needs to read this book!”  You were absolutely certain that “so-and-so” was lacking in the knowledge contained in the book you were reading and they could not help but learn from it.  That is what happened to me when I first began reading this book by Lance P. Richards.  So-and-so could definitely use this information; no doubt about it! 

Then I realized that “so-and-so” was actually me!  What a shocker!  I needed the help provided by Richards probably more so than anyone on the planet and I am pretty sure that readers will feel the same way.  Not that they will think I need the information unless of course they might know me, but rather that they could use the information. 

You may have heard all or part of what Richards writes about before but dare I say it, most will not have heard any of this information before.  It certainly was not taught as I grew up.  I don’t know what is being taught in 2020.  Now you can read it all in one excellent book.  The book is written in a format that causes the reader to often pause and do a self-assessment by simply asking the question, “Is he talking about me?”  In my case he oftentimes was talking not only to me but also about me.

The “fear” Richards refers to in the subtitle is not just physical fear it is about fear that everyone of us from time to time experiences.  Fear of public speaking, fear of heights, fear of human touch, you name it.  Richards lays out a plan to first address the fears we face and then how to combat them.  Not sure it is possible for anyone to read this book, familiar with the subject or not, and NOT come away with a better understanding of self and what you can do to improve your self.

Now for the best part.  The book is available on Amazon as a four-book set all in one.  The titles of the remaining two books are, The Power of Silence, Winning the Battle Over the Noise of Life; Mindset Mastery, Take Back Your Life and Overcome Limitations; and Analyze People, A Power Course to Instantly Analyze Anyone.  With titles like these, how could you possibly go wrong in reading them?  I will write reports on each as I read them.  Watch this Blog at www.NuggetsfortheNoggin.com for later reviews.

Who should read this book?  Since it would benefit everyone, everyone should read it but especially people dealing with “issues.”

Would I read it again?  Probably not, the lessons of the book were well learned.

Would I give it as a gift?  ABSOLUTELY!

DON’T BURN THIS BOOK

Thinking For Yourself In An Age of Unreason

By Dave Rubin

A book review by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, 7 May 2020

Consider just this one paragraph taken from this book:

“…losing a debate isn’t a sign of stupidity or weakness, but a sign of growth if you’re willing to embrace it with humility.”

It was when I read that one sentence I realized that this book was indeed very special, at least to me .It is a book that as you read it, you find yourself putting the book down, taking a sip of your coffee, sitting back in your chair and not just think about what you have  read, you truly think about what you have just read.  Most books you just read, a sentence, a paragraph or a page, one at a time.  This book I found impossible to do that with because it did make me want to think not only about what Rubin had written but more importantly how I felt about what he had written and I began to question my own beliefs about a lot of very topical subjects

Look at the sub-title of the book, “Thinking For Yourself In An Age of Unreason.”  In my opinion Rubin has created a book that accomplishes that, it makes you think, maybe for the first time regarding some very important subjects.

As background, Rubin points out that he was born Jewish in a stable family life in the New York City area.  Went to college and grew up like so many people from that part of the country having strong left, Liberal beliefs. Rubin also describes how he is gay and married.  He draws a picture of someone people on the political right would describe as being Liberal thinking.  But his beliefs have significantly changed in a relatively short-period of time.  He explains how the change took place in this book and why the changes occurred.  He talks about such subjects as abortion, minimum wage, racism, language, sexism, transgenderism, education, free speech, gun control, etc.

The value of this book can be summarized in the last two paragraphs of Chapter 9:

“You’ve never had such incredible power and reach.  We have no idea how that awesome power has changed the world already and will continue to do so.  So how are you going to use that power?  What do you want to put out into the universe?”

“Begin your adventure now and you will be amazed at how you can change your world.”

Who should read this book?  Since it would benefit everyone, everyone should read it but especially those who still believe in a perceived honesty of the news media.

Would I read it again?  Probably not, the lessons of the book were well learned.

Would I give it as a gift?  ABSOLUTELY!

Not a book just for Real Estate, for all businesses

Youtility for Real Estate

Jay Baer

A book review written by Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, April 6, 2020

Anything appearing in BLUE is a link to a web site

First the value of trust.  While on a live Facebook video, Jeffrey Gitomer, someone I trust, suggested that if you ever get the chance to hear Jay Baer or read his books, just do it.  I looked up Jay Baer on Amazon and he has several books available.  I purchased this one and will purchase others.

Sadly, the title of this book, more specifically the reference to Real Estate, will probably cause a lot of people NOT in the real estate business or interested in real estate, NOT to buy and read it and that would be their loss.  This book applies to anyone in business!

The book is very unique in this regard.  It is short.  Why is it so short?  Because it is a prelude of sorts to his primary book of a similar title Youtility, Why Smart Marketing is about Help not Hype. This book for Real Estate is not just a primer for his Youtility book, it provides the reader with actual examples of the principles he teaches in regards to creating a demand for your service or product.  It is definitely a book that feeds ideas into the mind, ideas that you can put to good and profitable use in your business, any business, not just real estate.

I love this book!  It really causes you to stop and assess your own business and how it could be different with a little thought and maybe a change in perspective.

Who should read this book?  Anyone in business but especially anyone in real estate sales.

Would I read it again?  Probably not but there are so many links to great sites, I would definitely use it as a resource to search out those links.

Would I give it as a gift?  Absolutely!