How to Pittsburgh 2.0

As part of my continuing series of posts on Pittsburgh 2.0 -- social media for the emerging Pittsburgh economy -- I pulled a New Year's mail out of my archive. I got the following message from Keith Ferrazzi. (I suspect that many of you got this message from Keith Ferrazzi!). I've posted about Keith in the past (see this link, and also this one). He's a master marketer-of-the-self, a one-man business/personal relationship machine, and at times he comes off as a bit over the top. But if you set some of the marketing rhetoric aside, the core of his message is a good one. It meshes with the kinds of thinking that goes into connecting Pittsburgh both inside and outside the region. So, to kick off Pittsburgh 2.0 and to encourage you to reach out to others and to encourage others to reach out to you, I give you Keith:

Get Your Goals
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It's a new year and 2008 is going to rock your socks! Why? Because you are going to make resolutions and stick to them - with a little help from me and your friends.

I have several goals: to have an accepted manuscript for my next book at the publisher by July, to participate in one major spiritual activity (could be church, could be meditation, etc.,) a week; to see my blood pressure go from 140/90 to 130/70 without meds and to raise 100k this year for the new Political Action Committee Our Leadership Our Future.

To be a successful goal getter, you must first define your goal. It will likely fall into one of the seven aspects of my personal success wheel: health & wellness, spirituality, job & career, intellectual & cultural, financial, deep relationships and giving back. Your goal must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

But you can't do it alone! Choose three friends to serve as your accountability buddies. Knowing they are watching you will help you to stick to and reach your goals. I like to call it peer-to-peer pressure. They can cheer you on and send you inspirational songs and helpful website links.

You should also rally your friends to make improvements in their own lives. Don't leave them in your dust!

To help you and your friends get your goals, my team has developed an application called Goal Post on Facebook . It is an easy and visual way to set your goals, choose your accountability buddies and keep track of your progress. To get started, login to Facebook (or register if you have yet to) and then search for the "Goal Post" application.

Come on, do it now!

To a healthier, happier and more successful you!