Often times, when we set goals for ourselves to do things like exercise more or lose weight, we start out with all kinds of enthusiasm and then back off or procrastinate when the going gets a little tough.  At times like these, a gentle nudge of encouragement is all that is needed to keep us on track.  A recent study conducted by Stanford University and reported in the Wall Street Journal bears this out.  The study involved 218 people who were divided into three groups.  At an introductory meeting, the participants agreed to walk half an hour a day most days of the week.  The first group was given a phone call by a Stanford health educator once every three weeks to check on their progress and cheer them on.  The second group received similar calls from a computer.  The third group received no calls.  At the end of a year, the first group was walking an average of two hours and 58 minutes per week.  The second was walking two hours and 37 minutes and the third group, which received no phone calls, was walking one hour and 58 minutes per week.  As you can see, those little nudges made a big difference.  So, if you know of someone who may be having a difficult time staying on track toward achieving a goal, make it a point to call them periodically and cheer them on.  Doing so could help permanently change that person’s life.