Yes, it is hard. I have tried to be one all my life.
Believe me, it was hard back then, when I was a teenager. I had to depend on the availability of authentic books and the very “knowledgeable” people.
I know that kind of betrays my age, and I don’t mind admitting I am old. In those days there was no internet, no smart phone, no GPS. If we had to go anywhere, we had to buy paper maps and go places with our index finger flicking through travel guides. Camera, map, books – whoa, we looked quite occupied and awkward. But it helped.
My mom was even better. She’d prepare and learn up well in advance. If a local tea-boy-turned-tour guide gave false information about the Moghul emperors as we treaded their castle in gentle steps, she could catch the disconnect and teach them a thing or two.
Now with Google, Ask, Yahoo Finance, USA.gov, Nielsen Reports, it’s easy as 1-2-3 to conduct a research about anything. Scholar Google is even more authentic. Wikipedia is getting harder and harder for any layman to edit. When in doubt with Wikipedia, you can dig into their citations and check for credibility. Public libraries are a storehouse of wonder. They have an incredible amount of information database in their online browsing systems these days.
And to think that I can do all of this without even walking out my door.
When my friend excitedly called me after her trip to South Africa saying they could actually see the Bermuda Triangle from the southern tip, I, for sure raised an eyebrow.
Seeing Bermuda Triangle from the Cape of Good Hope? Really? “Yes, that’s what our tour guide said. He must be right.”
Before she had finished her sentence, the Bermuda Triangle spread across my screen on Google maps. No way could they see the infamous triangle from thousands of miles away. It was a sensational “white lie” that the tour guide used to fool hundreds of tourists through his career.
My past careers as a feature writer and journalist, and thereafter teaching for several years, digging for the right information has seeped into my double helix, the interior mechanics of my genes.
And now as an environment crusader, research is my primary tool to substantiate my views. This validation keeps the listeners from assuming that I am simply imposing my opinion on them.
I keep scouting for new eco-friendly products in the market and give shout-outs for all of those that impress me. There is a certain kind of joy in this learning, a certain confidence in digging and finding information treasure. With falsity, with vagueness, we cannot impress for long.
In my specific writing niche of the eco-friendly product market and the green-energy services like solar and wind power, research is the trident that gives credibility, accountability, and motivation to surge forward. It gives viability to the customers to opt for it. They feel good about the fact that they know what they are going for. It gives a sound launching pad to my clients to reach out to prospects.
So, research has my honor as my best friend, an unfailing aide that takes me forward to success. It guarantees a win-win for all.
Wishing you success in your business.
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