How Much Do You Truly Value Your Time? Answer 5 Questions to Find Out.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

How Much Do You Truly Value Your Time? Answer 5 Questions to Find Out.

Share this ARTICLE with your colleagues on LinkedIn .

How Much Do You Truly Value Your Time? Answer 5 Questions to Find Out.

Please Note:

This article, which contains a brief questionnaire, was previously posted under the title, "Connecting: Some Questions to Ask Yourself...Seriously."

The previous title was posted in error. This mini-survey (refer to it as Survey TNNW5Q), as you will see, has to do with the presence in each of us, of opposing objectives.

On the one hand, we are taught to be thrifty and independent; this is reinforced with aphorisms like, "I'd save the money and do it myself," "keep an eye on the bottom line (which invariably causes most of us to turn to the default setting of "don't spend money, it detracts from profits.")," "Waste not, want not," and the like. The underlying and unifying rationale is that any money spent is "cost" or "loss," and that it is never actually an "investment in the production of greater revenues and greater profits." It is rather like wanting to grow a large crop without investing money on planting quality seeds. Even better (as terrible analogies go), it can be about as reasonable as heating your house by tearing down your walls and throwing them into the fireplace. After a time, the heating problem becomes a non-issue.

On the other hand, we are told that "time is money," and "don't waste your valuable time."

How you think about money (spending, saving, earning and investing), speaks volumes about your belief in yourself and your own abilities. Fear of poverty is generally a much more powerful motivator than the drive for success and achievement.

A poverty mentality might be a success repellant. Are you frugal? Or simply fearful?

Please bear this in mind as Douglas Castle (I refer to myself in the third person frequently --it makes me feel strangely powerful. You might try it sometime, too) presents Survey TNNW5Q:

-----------------------------------------

Dear Friends:

All other things being equal, and without reading into the questions (simple choices, actually), which of these two alternatives would you prefer in each of the cases below:

FIRST
1. Free social media access to all platforms and free passes to large group networking events, or;
2. Personal third-party introductions (with endorsements) to five pre-qualified, motivated prospective clients or partners per month at a fee of $50/month to $150/month?

SECOND
1. An email subscriber list of 100,000 people (acquired for free), or;
2. A group of 5 individuals who knew you, your product, and were aggressively talking to people to pre-qualify prospective clients to refer to you at a fee of $50/month to $150/month (total) plus a small commission on each closed sale?

THIRD
1. Spending time on the telephone and in virtual or actual meetings with prospective clients, or;
2. Spending time on the internet and working with your social media, with vigorous postings and email correspondence?

FOURTH
1. Spending time exploring and implementing cost-saving measures, or;
2. Spending time exploring and implementing revenue-generating measures?

FIFTH
1. Being the most well-regarded and liked person among your network of contacts, or;
2. Being the person among your contacts who has the most needed product or service?

Please put all of your choices (anonymously) on the form which follows as soon as you can, and then hit the SEND button. No explanations, rationalizations, qualifications or excuses are permitted. Be decisive, without hedging or apologies. There are five questions, and the answer to each one is either 1 or 2.

Please click HERE for a pop-up form.

Thank you for your time, consideration, input and honesty. Anonymous statistical results and their possible implications will be posted shortly. We'll keep you posted.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle