What's your social wellness goal for 2011?

Social wellness means getting healthy together.  While accountability and group support are very potent strategies for behavior change, the rise of social networks now make it possible to get connected and healthy with your close friends and family who can support you through a long process - inspiring and motivating you to succeed. So while you sit around and read your activity feeds over the holidays and wonder if you should make a new year's resolution, you might just consider combining both of these activities and chose a goal which you and your friends can achieve together. So what's it going to be? 

1 Million Social Health Influencers and Counting

Stowe Boyd recently commented on two talks Clay Shirky had given recent about research that shows how our vast social networks impact our health.

"In a nutshell, it turns out that the activities of the ‘third neighborhood’ influence you in ways you may be completely unaware of.  These are people that you do not know, but are (dis)connected to you by two removes: the friends of your friends’ friends. Christakis and Fowler found that obesity, smoking, and many other medical factors strongly correlated with the prevalence of corresponding activities in these large social scenes."

He goes on to describe how Clay would like to see the emergence of new tools that would let us
understand how our friends of friends of friends, which is likely to be on the order of a million people, plus or minus, influence us.  Boyd calls this our social scene — the group that actually influences your thinking, moods, buying and health behavior — and comments how this is in completely untapped and untappable with today's tools.  Stowe and Clay have highlighted an important need.  Fortunately, personalized social health analysis tools on the draw boards will soon allow each of us to understand new ways that we can improve our health by giving us a view how our social scene's impact our lifestyle choices.

Connect, Cultivate, Succeed

Tweet your health goals and you are more likely to reach them.  Right? Well, not necessarily so, say the co-authors of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and the How They Shape Our Lives in an article they published yesterday, Do Tweets Change Your Behavior? While tweeting may help some, to instigate new behaviors using the web, they highlight the following as important elements to success:

• It's not just the number of ties that matters online, it is also the nature and quality of these ties.
• We must learn how to cultivate online interactions that are, or feel, real
• We need interactions where something is actually at stake, such as the health status of the connected individuals

At HealthRally we believe the authors, Nicholas Chrsitakis and James Fowler are right on target. We are focused on building tools that help you bring together your close friends in a private social network where they can inspire and support you in your quest to achieve your health goal and even super motivate you with rewards.  Strong ties, real interactions, with something at stake. It's a powerful formula for success.

So what motivates you?

Wellness and getting healthy is more about motivation than information.  Yes, accurate health information is important but when I started to get healthy I basically had known for a long time what the problems were and what I needed to do about them.  It was a lot more about deciding to taking charge and doing something about it than knowing how to change. So I took a broad look around for motivation, and I found it nearly everywhere.  I found it in the eyes of my wife, my family, my friends, the people walking down the street, and even my wallet. There was a better way to do this, so I took the challenge and went for it.

So what motivates you?

An Interview About My Book and other Endeavors

HealthRally Motivation!

Esther Dyson sheds some light on what we are up to at HealthRally in her piece Health Care's Frequent Flyers:

Then there’s HealthRally, which uses insights from behavioral economics to motivate people to achieve their own health and wellness goals. The basic insight is that owing something to your friends is a far more powerful incentive than getting something for yourself.

The user signs up and recruits friends and family to sponsor a reward of their choice for a specified goal. (We can imagine a wish-list revenue opportunity here, where vendors can offer specific motivational products or services.) From then on, the sponsors have an implicit right to check on the user’s progress, offering support or criticism far more compelling than any stranger could. It’s relatively easy to fail on your own, but if your friends have put up real money, it’s much harder.

While the service is currently designed for individuals, companies could also use HealthRally to enhance their corporate wellness programs. By providing matching financial rewards, for example, a company could leverage its employees’ natural support networks and provide a valuable boost to the pot.

Esther recently shared with me that she was able to motivate herself to floss each night by allowing herself to cut five minutes off her morning swim she does each day. Now that's creative motivation!

Friends Rule in Social Health: Social Alliances Outweigh Shared Interests

Your brain is more responsive to your friends than to strangers, even if that stranger has more in common with you. According to new brain imaging research, social closeness outweighs shared interests, as was previously assumed. This has important implications for how we choose what type of support network might best serve us as we work towards a tough health goal like losing weight or quitting smoking.

Should you join a peer support group of weak ties? Or build a social support network of close friends and family?  This research would suggest the latter and this is exactly the approach we've taken at HealthRally. Not only will your brain respond more powerfully to your friends' support and suggestions but in the end they are the one's who really have a vested interest in seeing you succeed.

Social Health Targets Procrastination By Keeping Us Rolling

Everyone procrastinates. You are not alone. Nobel prize winners, dancers, cooks, academics, business people, school kids, moms... everyone at one point or another drags their heels and puts off what could be done today until tomorrow. And it's getting worse with the number of people admitting difficulties with procrastination quadrupling between 1978 and 2002. While this may not be a bad thing in some cases, procrastinating about getting and staying healthy can take years off your life or decimate the quality of life you lead while you are still around. It's amazing that almost 70% of patients suffering from glaucoma risk blindness because they don’t use their eyedrops regularly. So what gives?

Short term considerations are overwhelming your long term goals.  You know you'd like to lose that weight, quit smoking, take that medication, study for that exam, but right now a movie seems like a more pleasant way to spend your time. It's an easier dopamine surge.

Enter social health, where close friends and family actively engage each other throughout our daily lives to be a bit healthier, to get moving. One nudge, becomes another, begets even more. The virtuous circle of health begins to take hold as each person supports, motivates and inspires. All that takes is that first step, and that's why we take so seriously using every means necessary to inspire one to get things rolling.

Motivated by Music

It became apparent to me when I began to exercise again that I needed something to kick start my energy.  The answer for me was music.  Overtime I figured out what rhythms really motivate me and which don't. The impact has been amazing.  For better or for worse, I don't like to run these days without my iPod plugged into my ears.  I listen to two DJ's, both who podcast shows weekly on iTunes so each week I get new energy on a consistent basis.  Some weeks their sets are good, other times just ok, but occasionally there will be a set which is mind blowingly motivating, and I end up going back to it for several weeks.  So who are the kings of my motivation, DJ Eros and Tiesto.  DJ Eros lives in Puerto Rico and plays a four hour set. Tiesto lives everywhere plays an hour long jam.  I highly recommend these DJs if you are looking for a new power source.  It might take some time, but they'll grow into you.  Here is a bit of Tiesto!

Motivating for My First Run

When I first started to get into shape almost 5 years ago, it was those first steps that were the most challenging and rewarding. I just had to keep reminding myself that all good things start small.  I also knew myself well enough to admit that if I set myself up right, I would be more likely to succeed.  So I went out and bought a pair of nice running shoes. Probably spent a little more than I needed to, but it was a bit of a reward for already making the decision to change.

Then I did it. I chose a time of day when most people weren't on the streets and then I got on those running shoes and ran and ran.... 2 1/2 blocks. Yes, ha, that's right. But this was okay. I was tired but I had started. Three days later, 3 blocks. Within a few weeks I was up to 10 blocks at a light jog. My wife then rewarded me with a heart monitor and a watch.  That helped me not burn out so fast. In time, I went to the high school tracks around our home and reached a mile, then 2, then 3.  I bought some running shorts.

A few weeks ago in Tahoe, I ran from Tahoe city to the base of Squaw Valley, 7.3 miles at 6200 feet in an 1 hour and 7 minutes. Sometimes, I think back to those early days and realize that a lot of it was a change in my mind, but most of all it was about me telling myself, and accepting, that 2 1/2 blocks was not just okay, but perfectly good from where I was coming from. One step at a time, it happens.

Searching for Social Health

Facebook has passed Google. For the first time Americans spent more time last month soaking in social updates than searching for information. Facebook's capacity to enable individuals to share their perspective on nearly everything binds people together in a way that search is unable to do.  This is why we haven't seen social health applications emerge before now. The necessary infrastructure for social sharing, caring and supporting were non existent, small and radically fragmented. With Facebook's rise as the super gorilla of social networks, new types of applications that leverage one's now connected vast network of personal relationships can emerge.  First we saw social sharing, then social gaming, and what we are beginning to see now is the rise of social health.  In the Google era people were stuck searching for health-related information, now they can find that information, share it, and act on it together. That makes all the difference.

The Neuro Revolution Published in Japan

My book, The Neuro Revolution, was recently published in Japan! Here is the cover. They chose a slightly different title for this translation, Neuro Wars (ala Star Wars).  Buy in Japan here.  Looking forward to China, Korea and Brazil next!

It was while researching and writing this book over the past decade that many of my ideas around how develop social motivations systems that engender successful behavior change were formed.  I look forward to the day when we can leverage cutting edge behavioral neuroscience techniques on a real-time basis in Japan and throughout the world to help people live happier, healthier lives.

Rejuvenating in Tahoe with my Family

Just spent a rejuvenating week up in Tahoe with my family and wanted to share some recommendations on activities that were fun to do with an 3 3/4 year old and an 8 month old.

Best all around is to head to Squaw Valley for the day. Take the cable car to High Camp at 8200 feet and spend the day swimming, ice skating, and just hanging out enjoying the view. Easy to spend a good 8 hours there. You can also enjoy the bottom of the mountain. The Village is beautiful to walk around and our 3 year old loved bungee jumping and might have enjoyed the 18 hole mini golf course laid out around the entire area if we had more time.  If you are a runner, the 7.3 mile run from Tahoe City to the base of Squaw is an awesome to do in the morning.  I alpha tested HealthRally on this run and achieved my goal of 1 hour and 7 minutes.  Lots of cool support from family and friends!

Kings Beach. Just on the California side of the Nevada border, this beach has wonderful sandbars reaching far into Lake Tahoe.  Ice cream across the street.  Bring some sort of shade shelter. Tons of fun stuff in Tahoe City. Load up at the library at the beginning of the trip. Commons beach and playground is fun and easy any day. They have a farmers market on Thursdays. Fishing at Donner Lake. You can do the public piers around the east side of the lake or go into the state park (also a fun place to explore for the day) and walk to the north side of the China Cove swimming area. Use yellow or rainbow powerbait. The UC Davis Research center is good for about an hour. Kids liked the talking fish video game. Try to get there on a day there's a docent to talk you through everything. Catch crawdads off any pier with bacon. Aim for the big rocks!  Have fun!

Grandma Gets Social Health

Health is a major reason behind the recent surge in American's over 50 using social networks.

According to report today published by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, Americans aged 50 and older are growing fast on social networks, jumping 47 percent last year. The report states, "The appeal of social networking for older Americans may also be related to managing health issues.... people living with a chronic disease are more likely to reach out for support online." 

This is clearly just the beginning, as we move across the continuum of care from chronic disease to wellness and prevention, the coming years will see health and wellness related social support activities move online, and with this fast moving trend, social health will become an integral part of our lives.

Social Health and Game Dynamics Rally Forward

With the framework of the social web becoming established over the past decade, Seth Priebatsch at TEDx Boston declares that the next decade will be focused on the game layer - how to leverage game mechanics to influence and make fun previously difficult and uninspiring tasks.  Gaming dynamics will be applied to education, sales training, as well as across social health.

Lose Weight with Your Natural Team

Losing weight is hard. To lose weight in a healthy way requires commitment and determination. While some people try to lose weight on their own, others reach out to peer support groups with structured programs to help them along the way.  While these artificial support groups can be helpful, many people still fail to reach their goals.  Why?

Modern society has restructured our lives over the past 50 years. Gone are close knit communities of century's past where people lived and died among the same social community in the same locale. Today, we may move multiple times, have several jobs and exist in a couple of different communities across the country all within a single decade. Our lives have become fragmented, and in the process, our natural support system that were historically present to help each of us make healthy choices and support us in our quest to improve ourselves have been severed.

Your natural support team includes your family, friends, colleagues, and communities (such as church).  These people are your natural support network. They want to help. That is why they are part of your life. But how can we tap into these strong ties in today's fragmented, twitter-paced world?

Just as technology ripped apart our natural support network, new tools are now emerging in the form of social health applications across the web to help bond our fragmented social lives together.  Social health applications built on top of social networks will create more cohesive relationships where feedback, support and motivation will all be leveraged to help you succeed in all your endeavors, especially those difficult health related endeavors like losing weight. So, get ready to tap your natural team. The social health revolution is just beginning!

Calorie Counting to LifeLogging...Serious tracking!

If you think counting calories or tracking how far you walk is going far to achieve a health goal, then you'd be blown away by the marathoners of personal tracking, lifeloggers. Last night at the Bay Area Quantitative Self meet up, Gordon Bell shared a decade long project he's been working on to digitally log everything about his life called MyLifeBits. Gordon has been wearing a sensecam off and on for the past five years which takes a picture every 20 minutes of what he is doing.  He also wears an audio recorder to capture conversations.  He says he's recording a few gigabits of data each month. Gordon sees collecting health information and sharing of that data as the biggest benefit of his experiment. He sees the social health wave coming.

Measure, Share, Repeat, Success - The New News

Very quickly, cool new tools are coming to market to help measure and share your health vitals. Want to track your weight loss? Withings is a new scale that can tweet your weight or post it as a status update on Facebook so your friends can share in your progress. Want to sleep better? Zeo is a sleep monitoring system that tracks your sleep effectiveness and suggests ways to improve your sleep.  Want to know how many calories you are burning? Fitbit is clipped onto your clothing and tracks your steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality.  These are just the beginning. 

Having data is one thing, but data shared becomes news. And news is cool. People like news.  People like to talk about the news, especially when the news can make a difference in the world around them. So make some news and make the world a better place.

Social Health Rising

Social health is the use of your social network to achieve health-related goals.  Social health will profoundly transform health and wellness in this decade as our friends, family and colleagues become more integrated into our real-time lives in support of healthy behaviors.

Social health is rising now because of the convergence of many forces including: the dramatic increase in connectedness as a result of the opening up of everyone's social graph across the social web; the development of inexpensive, accurate and mobile health diagnostics; new research proving the positive role social relationships play in health outcomes; advances in wellness behavioral economics; a growing emphasis on prevention as a result of healthcare reform; fresh insights into human motivation; the emergence of population level wellness metrics; a growing zeitgeist around health and wellness; and the development of new social web applications that support and motivate healthy behavior.

Having spent the past decade living at the center of neurotechnology innovation, funding, and public policy, I've had ample time to think and write about what neuroscience has to offer the future of humanity. I'm convinced that while the opportunities being opened up by advancing brain science are vast, the one area that has the potential to make a quantum impact on health and wellness in this decade is neurosoftware for health and wellness motivation. So, that is where I am heading.