Reading time: 1 - 2 minutes
There's one word that most people use that KILLS you every day. The sooner you realize HOW often you use this word, the sooner you can stop saying it. You'll also notice how often you hear it from other people, so you can tune this word out.
Once you've done both those things, you'll have a better mindstate about everything you do, and you'll be more productive... and therefore make more money.
So what is the word? Comment below with your guess and in a few days, I'll total up your guesses. Here are a few hints.
- It's a FOUR letter word.
- It can be used as a verb (an action word, like "run" or "jump")
- I heard it 10 times in 10 minutes today (5 times in 2 minutes)
- It's not a curse word -- although it might as well be in my book.
- My angriest and most frustrated customers who flip out at the smallest inconveniences (they are a minority) use this word in most e-mails.
- Copywriters will tell you to remove this word from your sales copy.
- It is not the word "wait" or "stop" or "can't."
What do you think this word is? Comment below with your best guess!
Ten seconds after Robert twitters, I reply.... the word is WORK.
People don't like it, it's scary.
Hmmm... nice guess Debbie, any other tries?
Could it be the word "Quit"?
Thanks for a good blog...
I'm pretty sure its "MUST" ...
Now I 'must' go and start my first blog ...
Hey Robert...
.... you are really on a roll!
I second Debbie's motion
that work is the word you are hinting at.
Why it has such a negative connotation
is beyond me, but it does.
Except with artists!
To them,
the word has a wonderfully positive aura
of associations.
Jim
PS.... the other word
that I am careful with
is "hard"
My guess is screw.
It has many uses.
1) Creating a product is hard...Screw it.
(Giving up)
2) Lets screw.
(Robert probably prefers this version of the word which means sex, he is a guy right?)
3) It also means an old, worn out horse.
(That's probably the version Robert hates most. Only new, beautiful horses are liked around these parts).
I'm right. 100%.
And I chose a 5 letter word because Robert can't spell. It was done intentionally.
FREE???
NEED?
The suspense is killing me...
I would say the word is either lazy or quit.
Can't ?
I'd go with "Free" knowing you Robert.
Ok,... would it be "hate"...it's a destructive word and tends to conjure up anger and affect one's positive focus. Love your blog and your products and your energy Robert,.. you're a real inspiration, keep at it man!
FREE
Cheap?
I was going to go with CAN'T but Robert says that isn't it!
So how about WON'T or DON'T?
Stop.
What do I win?
Its clearly COST.
Right?
C'mon I'll look like an idiot if its not COST!
It's HATE, right?
I'm guessing 'hate', but I'm clearly not the first one to guess it
Robert,
My guess is the word "hate". I hate this, I hate learning something new, I hate posting on my blog and etc. "Hate" is worse than "can't" because it becomes an internal mindset that will hold you back in everything you do. It is negative and will put a halt on any success you endevor until you conquer using the word.
Don't
My first guess is "when" as in "I'll exercise when..." or maybe it is "then", I will finish this project and then...
I'm pretty sure it's HFJG
OK maybe it's actually "wait" or "work"
The word I hate to hear is lost, as in "I'm lost." Rather than telling you what specific problem they need help with now. Instead, just a general I'm lost as in they are giving up.
I've helped newbies who didn't even know how to unzip a file do what I do so what frustrates me is when I see someone quit without even asking for help.
I agree with Gary.
I think "hate" is the one word that we all should
remove from our daily vocabulary.
Love your Blog though.
Ed
From now on I'm going to call you..
BERT but you're FREE to attempt to get me to change my mind. :-p
John
Hmm... I would have said can't but Robert won't let me.
So I'll say the word is won't.
Peggy
I agree with Ian, the word is FREE
My guess is "love".
Not that love is bad, but often the waiting is better than the actual experience. My wife will kill me if she reads this, to this is to her (in Norwegian): men når jeg først møtte deg så skjønte jeg hva 'love' betydde...
Is it "help" ?
I agree about "hate" too - it's a word we ALL need to eliminate from our vocabulary because of its huge negative connotations and emotional attachments.
F.R.E.E.
and from what I can gather, 99.9%of internet marketers do not know the definition.
This is an interesting post - what a great way to engage people. Cool idea for getting some interaction on your blog.
Ok, I'm going to guess that it's 'NEED'.
It will be informative to see what the survey results are.
@amin "need" is a good one...
"done" because we are never finished earning and creating
"give" (give ME, or "I'll give you")
Hey, I just thought of another one.
Busy.
As in "I'm too busy to take a single step towards my own future".
FREE. I do not open an email if I see this word in the subject line and if that email is specifically from a marketeer! For most of them do not know it's meaning. I second you Ken.
Oh, I hope Robert doesn't think I'm spamming - I just thought of another.
How about "WANT". That can be a real killer to your mindset because it confirms that you don't already have whatever it is you 'want'.
I want my download now. I want to make money. I don't want to have to do any work.
By the way, those examples are real ones I've seen on my heldpesk.
I think want is a pretty negative word, now that I've sat and thought about this for a while.
This is great....
Similar to Amin, I think I'd have to go with
'Busy' also......
in dealing with clients one of the words I hate the most is 'Mine'.....
but that's another story!
Can't wait to find out what the word is!
Kim
@Amin: You're not spamming at all. Thanks for the guesses so far, guys. These are great. Here's the totals up to this point:
hate (6 guesses)
free (6 guesses)
work (2 guesses)
busy (2 guesses)
need (2 guesses)
don't (2 guesses)
Other guesses: quit, must, haard, screw, lazy, quit, can't, cheap, won't, cost, when, wait, lost, love, help, done, and want.
Once we get to 100 comments on this post I'll reveal the answer and why it's my most hated word...
Spam
The most dis empowering word is people use is "I'll try" - I count it as a 4 letter word.
Dale
My vote is for HATE as well.
My girlfriend suggests "blog"
@"hate"rs.. would "Super Robert" actually use the word in his email subject line????
@Amin awesome stuff! Spammer!
i'm gonna go with "hate"
that's a word my mom taught me to tune out
and stop using a long time ago.
--Corey Lewis
easytechvideos.com
Bert,
You missed the word BERT from your summary. LOL
John
Is it a made up name like eBay?
Can be used like this: Do you eBay?
What about the word STOP?
That is an action word...
Oops, my bad! Stop is listed above... Sorry!
What about Read?
I agree hate seems to fit. I was thinking "more" as well.
Many people want to get or learn more before they take action today with what they have.
Shannon
Hey Robert
Funny thing here...
I wrote a little book back in Oct 2007 called the 4 Letter Killer
Interesting to see if it's the same for you as it was for me.
Dave
Entrepreneur says it's "Free". I think it's "hope".
As in "I hope it's ok" or "I hope I have time". It puts your destiny in the hands of an imaginary force you cannot control.
I'm going to go with HATE...
Have a DYNAMITE day!
I think I got it this time...
Scam is a FOUR letter word.
Scam can be used as a verb (an action word, like "run" or "jump")
I heard it 10 times in 10 minutes today (5 times in 2 minutes). Maybe from a pissed off customer?
It's not a curse word -- although it might as well be in my book. Yep scam is a sucky word!
My angriest and most frustrated customers who flip out at the smallest inconveniences (they are a minority) use this word in most e-mails. Scammer comes to mind!
Copywriters will tell you to remove this word from your sales copy. Don't tell your customers that is isn't a scam, they might be inclined to think that it is...
It is not the word "wait" or "stop" or "can't."
Disclaimer: This is in no way meant to imply that Robert is a scammer or is involved in any scam. Just that he hates the damn word as much as anyone else!
If its not the word in question, then it might as well be a close second!
One of the words that seems to be used a lot for no particular reason in conversation would be...
JUST
It just seems to slip in there for no apparent reason, if you know what I mean.
It's probably already been guessed, but since I'm late to the party here, I want to have some fun and throw in something too sooooo... Here's one I don't think I've seen yet...
TIME
(as in "Robert, I don't have TIME for these smallest inconveniences! Now help me ASAP!!") LoL
Was thinking you might also be toying with us by putting it in the first sentence of your post--"KILL", but really, can't say I hear it that often. Same goes for FEAR, DRAG, FEEL.
BTW, does the winner get anything?
I'm going with the word "wish" -- as in, "I wish it would/wouldn't. . . "
I'd go for some of the other words already suggested, too, if someone hadn't said them yet.
Just about any word that can be used as both noun and verb has a negative side to it, so I'm curious about which one gets to you the most, Robert.
This is a fun thread, Robert!
Nancy
I'll go with FREE
Ooopps....I guess "free" isn't a verb lol
In that case the answer must be... "SAVE"
Don't
These are all really good guesses!
How many negative four letter words are there?
Anyone know?
Thanks
Let me give a try...
How about: HELP
No prize for this, just the satisfaction of knowing you think like me -- I mean really is there any prize better than that
Another hint about hearing the word 5 times in 2 minutes: that was when I was on the phone with my girlfriend. She was talking about her plans for the rest of the day.
Hey Robert,
When I first read your blog last night, I thought I knew the four letter word; but wasn't quite sure.
Now I know it for sure. It's HATE and it's definitely one of the most misused and over used words in the English languauge.
BTW: After reading you 30K month post, you're my new hero. That's real impressive!
Take care,
Shawn
"To Do"
Since "hate" seems to be the most guessed word so far, I'm telling you right now my most hated word is not "hate"
"Wait"...
I might need to take "To Do" back. It seems like Super Robert spouts that 4 letter word all...but he is sneaky, he changed the 4 letter word to "Accountability".
Yeah, that's what I figured since you use "hate" in the title of this post!
My turn : FAIL
Just to clarify I still think it is "don't".
Robert, I think the word is : WANT
Hi Robert,
Very interesting thread.
Making me really curious about the answer, like edge of the seat suspense!
My guess is "Miss".
So, when are you disclose the word?
Amar
Robert,
Did you piss her off? Chicks have a tendancy to call guys all sorts of stuff.
Jerk is an action word as well? Or the other four letter word that is used for Richard... D i c k!
You don't seem like that kind of guy
No offense, but some chicks are also very clingy, so 'want' seems to fit the bill as well!
Although salesletters should give your customers what they want, not what they need, so another guess would be 'need'.
I have heard 'I want this and I want that', but in the same breath, I have also heard 'I need this and I need that'
Do we really know what we need as much as we know what we want?
It's obvious.
The word is DON'T.
Hi, Robert,
I was going to like guess that like maybe the word is like "like?"
Ya know?
John
@John The Geek - We might have a winner! Nice guess.
It's either "like" or:
So, Robert goes "Which word do I hate most" and John The Geek goes "Like probably 'like'" and Lance goes "Nice guess" and John goes "Well, maybe it's 'goes'" and Robert goes...:-)
It's gotta be one or the other. They both drive me up the wall!
NEED
i was going to say either need or free until you said you heard it while talking to your gfriend
"She was talking about her plans for the rest of the day."
Is it "have"?
You have to do things. Leaves no free time, lol.
Hey, I tried...
Nevermind..... John the Geek got it I think too.. lol Makes sense, "like" is overused, like you know?
To the people who think "like" is the word... do you really think that when you stop saying "like" you'll be more productive? Doesn't seem like it to me...
@SuperRobert,
How much did the collective productivity increase with this exercise? I know mine went up.
Kryptonite!
I have to admit that my productivity was shot to crap with this exercise.
I have been thinking about this stupid post for the good part of the day...
I think Robert may have duped all of us on this one, but with two (2) four letter words 'dumb' and 'shit'!
Hehe we'll have to wait and see!
Thanks a bunch Robert, i've spent my day racking my brain on this....now I have to change my word, because I don't think "don't" is a verb.
So now my guess is the word "NEED".
I "NEED" you to tell me what the heck the word is so I can't get back to work!
There are so many good guesses here. This list we generated is gold!
Hey Robert, I'll take a guess at it.
It's it? "Hate", "Sell" "Quit" "Need" or "Don't"
Ok, that was 5 tries, but that's what I hear most
Terrance Charles
http://www.twitter.com/TerranceCharles
My guess, since you said your girl friend said it 5 time in two minutes describing her plans for the rest of the day, is THEN replace it with NOW and you are much more productive.
I would say either WISH, HAVE or NEED, except none of those are really action verbs. Still, they're good things to eliminate:
"I have to ... first"
"I wish I had ..."
"I need ... first"
This is addictive - I'm supposed to be working!!
Another guess: WILL
As in I will do that later. Then you never do.
And now I WILL get back to work for real.
How about time or wish?
Oh, one more guess... plan?
Ok. Many great guesses here. I am going to guess...HATE.
Although my second guess is HAVE. As in, I have to go to work or I have to wash the car. Tough one, but I'm gonna stick with HATE.
-Shaun Cartwright
After reading the post about the gf it's "LIKE"... I KNOW it is.... MY gf does it all the time and I HATE it!!
And to answer the post earlier... Do I think someone would be more productive if they took that word out of their vocabulary?...
YES!!
Because they would be able to speak in a more straight forward and productive manner. That word is pure filler and just oozes "airhead" and "unprofessional".
I can't get this out of my head...
My vote is for 'can't' since it implies limitations and isn't the type of thing productive people like Robert focus on.
If you focus on 'how' to do something you can usually figure out a way... If you focus on why you 'can't' do something, again you'll find an answer...
Jit
This word doesn't fit your criteria Robert, but one word I particularly like to remove from anything I write, wherever possible, is the word
THAT
Quite often it is simply not needed in a sentence, and can easily be left out.
Cheers
Stephen Spry
P.S. at least my comment gets us all a little closer to the 100 comment mark, when you WILL reveal the answer...
The tricky part of this is that it can be used as an action verb and that rules out a lot of the nominated words. Including my THEN from earlier
I WISH you would reveal the answer so that I don't have to keep refreshing the page
Since this has to do with mindset (ok, I came back instead of working) it's my guess that the word is one of those self-limiting thoughts that hold you back, or cause you to doubt yourself in some way.
The way we think and speak to ourselves is so important to what we actually do. Witness the moral of "I think I can, I know I can."
Whatever Robert's take on this word is, it's certainly stimulated a lot of interest, which is a good thing in itself. Perhaps we'll all take away an awareness of our own inhibiting words.
Amin
Super Robert said after 100 posts, so I am sure "Action Comment Counter Kryptonite Killer" will tell us the
answer as 101!
and the answer is.....
Bert,
Come, here, tell!
Hell Fire!
Best,
John
Aww man, I have to give the answer away already?
You don't want to give anyone else a chance to guess?
WANT
Hey, Robert!
"Once we get to 100 comments on this post I'll reveal the answer and why it's my most hated word..."
I think a few of us are hitting the refresh button every few minutes to find out they mystery word and then see whether we agree with you
Amin
@Amin: I figured I'd have a couple of days for it to get to 100 so everyone would have a chance to see the e-mail and leave their guess...
So is anyone close to the mark yet Robert???
haha - be careful what you wish for.....
You just might get it quicker than you thought!
BTW, if you're including textspeak spelling I'd also guess the word l8er (later). Another killer word.
Amin
Dude!
There's one word that really pisses me off: Dude.
John
The word is "easy."
Cheers,
Mary
No, I was wrong. The word is "scam."
Mary
Thanks for waiting Robert. I just saw the email.
I think it's WORK.
Tim
Hi Robert,
My guess is "will", as in I "will" do it tomorrow.
Tomorrow always comes, but our commitments sometimes fall by the wayside, due to procrastination or abandonment.
Hi Robert
Is it:
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
or
Flibbertigibbet
or
Honorificabilitudinitatibus
or
Rhinotillexomania
or if it's none of those my last guess is
Zenzizenzizenzic
Simon,
I'll have a glass or two of what you've been drinking.
John
John
LOL perhaps they don't quite fit Robert's original criteria but all real words that people just don't use often enough LOL
The real answer is ORDER
Too Easy
Or Gold
HELP?
Isn't the real word actually a phrase, like "even if it's 2 am!", or "but wait, there's more!"?
Maybe it's "click here"?
It's gotta be FREE. Doesn't fit sales copy if you're actually selling something!
You know Robert, it wouldn't be all that difficult for me to drive to where you live in Southern California.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
-- Arthur Cronos, http://CopyDragon
Too bad it's not three letters, then I'd guess "try". Yoda says, "There is no 'try', only 'do' or 'fail to do'."
Or something like that. It's been a long time since I've seen Star Wars.
== Ross ==
It's "WHAT" as in "What the....?? or "Whatever".
or "FINE" as used before "Whatever" in the sentence "Fine, Whatever"....then silence..
Ha ha
I am like, so totally like, OVER this! So like Robert goes, "I'll like tell you when we get like 100 comments and stuff, and like everyone else goes "is it like FREE? or wahtever and stuff or something. And like I'm all, John the Geek's like, gotta be right, that it's lie "LIKE" or something and stuff, but I like totally like that it could be like "even if it's 2AM" but I like wanted to asdd that isn't it even funnier when they're like "even if it's 2AM in the morning?" As if there's a 2AM that's not in the morning, and like anyway whatever and stuff or something so like what is the word already?
I guess that the word is
Deal
or maybe
Tell
John
The word is LOSE
RISK
Hi Robert -
I can't get your 4 letter can be used as a verb. But my guess is -
Give
Give me your attention
Give me a minute to
Give me discount
Give me a price break
Give me a refund
Give me my money back
beer
Bark, I think Bark.
Or Flub
Bonk is good.
or how about TALK?.... as in the angry customers spouting "I want to TALK to your manager!"
Bank
Trot
Barf
Talk
Toot
Grow
Part
Torn
Punt
Park
Peek
Rats
Cars
Crud
Curb
Twit
Mail
Snow
Phooey?
My guess is THAT.
It's an almost useless word.
TTF
T.I.M.E. as in "I don't have enough time"
kills you and Robert has a great program to "kill" that word.
I just googled the question and found never to use the word free in your headline...
gramatically it is both an adjective and a beautiful verb as in freeing someone, freeing a country, freeing time.
As a customer who complains; everything should be free to them... hey, even I asked once to be comped into something which is just a roundabout way to ask for a freebie... lol
tell
WOW, this is fun - great idea Robert.
I would have guess Help - but I see that is not it....
hmmmm
I'll say "DEAL"
Can't wait to hear the answer.
D'vorah
Sophie -
That's a very good theory, except how do you explain the clue:
"I heard it 10 times in 10 minutes today (5 times in 2 minutes)"
Is it possible to use that word in conversation to the extent mentioned there?
(I mean, as long as the conversation isn't about the word itself?)
I think it's "LIKE"
hm. I do hear young people use the word LIKE as a filler, and Robert is young... maybe.
I'm also changing my guess to THEN.
When I've become great at "X" ... THEN I'll start on my new project.
When I have 10 clients THEN I'll see myself as an expert.
When I've had 5 scotch & cokes THEN I'll be on the floor.
My 2nd guess would be "can't" because who likes people who are self defeating?
I can't do this.
I can't do that.
Well guess what buddy - you're right!
TTF
LOL @ Jody
beer
Good one. I'll drink to that.
lmao =)
I'm guessing it's love. His girlfriend was saying "I love you Robert. Robert, do you love me? I'm so in love with you, you're the love of my life..." and it freaked him out!
-Jason
Clue: "I heard it 10 times in 10 minutes today (5 times in 2 minutes)"
wouldn't this mean you heard it 25 times in 10 minutes?
anyway...hmmm the word is...HECK..or BULL..or CRAP?
BONK is good too..
Stuart Stirling
@Jason, you are the best. and may be right this time. lol
Hi Robert -
Back again! Hope that's not against the rules.
How about care -
You mentioned your girlfriend mentioned to you so much.
If you did care about me you'd come with me.
You care more about work than you do about me.
I don't care you should spend more time with me.
What do you care about more. Me or that computer.
Don't you care that I have to spend the day without you.
We are all wrong..
This is a blog...
Every one of us posted to the damn thing...
Even Robert and Jason posted to it...
It's a conspiracy to get us to all post!
Get it, POST...
Post away and see how many people will post to this comment section.
Most people hate to post or to blog, this is an evil plan to help us all overcome our hate for blogging and posting.
We have been indoctrinated, we are all likew a bunch of sheep who have fallen for the bait.
We blog, we post, we use a host, but in the end Robert gets the most, and all because we just had to post...
Post, Post, Post...
Sounds a bit like Dr. Suess I know. But who cares, the word he's looking for is POST...
Oh and by the way,
Jason if you read this post, please check your
email and your site, I left you a post...
Beer...
You talk a lot about beer in some of your recordings.
You drank too damn much friggin beer and now you hate even the thought of the nasty shit.
In some circles I am aquainted with, beer is a synonym for 'Party'.
When someone yells 'BEER', all hell breaks loose and everyone gets plowed.
Chug-a-lug...
Beer works for me!
I fact I might be drunk as I write this post..
See there you go again..
Get a BEER..
Check your HOST...
POST a comment...
BLOG all night...
Repeat...
In the morning the only 4 letter work that
will bother you will be
BARF!
I was, LIKE, thinking about this and my girlfrined GOES...
she GOES,
I think I'm GUNA go for a swim,
and I GO,
Wait for me 'cos I was GUNA do that too,
and she GOES,
are you eva GUNA get away form that 'PUTA?
and I GO,
I'm GUNA get off it real soon
and I figured that this fitted in with what Robert said about his girlfriend telling him about what she was GUNA do for the rest of the day...
So - I had better get off the 'PUTA now, 'cos I promised her that were GUNA go for a swim when we got up 'smornin...
No - we don't really talk like that, like, I'm sure we don't...
Trevor
Hey,
That was, like, fun.
I think I guna send more posts like that in the future...
Anyway, it's time for the beach now - real hassle...
We have to walk for, like, two minutes to get there. But at least it is not too crowded today - just looked out the window from my 'puta to check. Beautiful warm "Fall" day in Sydney today (we call it Autumn here).
Trevor
In the good old Frank Kern way of speaking, I believe
I speak for the whole group when I state:
Fuck it, just tell us the damn word already!
I know it's already been mentioned, but my vote is for "need" as in "I need ten widgets by morning" or, worse, "I need you to finish my project today."
We've been had...
LMAO!
OMG W2FUNNY to now sit here at 10pm on a Friday night and read through everyone's guesses and inputs and observations.... Leslie you're hysterical.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE ROBERT.....
...and the winner is....
for the....
Four-Letter....
word is....
....
....
...
...
..
..
.
.
(any time now Rob, jump on in..!)
Jerold
I was going to guess:
MUST
I Must run
Then I realised I was misreading Roberts clue.
So I'm going to go with
"GIVE"
Sooo what's the word...>?
I'm with Amin on this on… NEED.
Everyone wants what they already WANT. Nobody wants what they NEED, because that entails the possibility of having to DO something to get it.
The role of any SELLER is to get people to WANT what they NEED because, no matter how much they NEED what you're selling, until they WANT it, they won't BUY it!
John Counsel
http://spendsmarter.com
Goodies for budget-conscious internet marketers
I'm with Amin on this one... NEED.
Everyone wants what they already want.
The real role of every SELLER is to get people to WANT what they NEED for the simple reason that, no matter how much they NEED what you're selling, until they WANT it, they won't BUY it!
NEED is the elephant in the corner of every sales pitch, the bad smell in the elevator, the dog turd on every seller's shoe.
NEED is your mother lecturing you on what's good for you.
WANT is the seductive song of the sirens of old.
John Counsel
CEO, The Profit Clinic
Hi readers posters word annalists far n'wide my guess is "name" Why did I chose this word ... because Google told me the answer huh? http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
load of rubbish I no! ... just wanted to leave my footprint .... lol
All my best to you and your guess
Phillip Skinner
When I work on something, it won't work, it's better doing.
Hi,
I think its "DON'T"
Copywriters they say
Dont use the "dont" word
Sincerely,
Imran Qureshi
Robert, this thread is losing momentum... please jump in. as in J.U.M.P. before it completely fizzles out. Who cares that it's Saturday!!!!
Shit, Shit Shit
Shitty people are always proud to use the word SHIT
I think people have been very creative in their replies. Wonderful to see that some people are not afraid to leave comments.
PS: Wish they would be as faithful in commenting on my blog(s)...
Hey guys, here is the answer!