As usual, this isn’t happiness gave me the perfect sign:
But I’m not taking it in the way that David Shrigley probably intended. Because I’m using the numerical version of nothing or 0, and our constant need to be much bigger than what nothing signifies. Yes, I am frustrated by something that we all have done at one time or another in our lives, and that is the popularity contest that is checking your numbers.
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts going up about how to increase the number of followers in your social media accounts, blog, business, or whatever else that requires us to chase the numbers game. OMG, I just gained more followers. OMG, did you see that NASCAR driver get 100000 followers by tweeting during the race???? Oh, I have to follow so-and-so because they’re guaranteeing followers that won’t drop me. Links – check! Responsible self-promotion – check! Authenticity – check! Ummm – no.
I don’t know how anyone else feels, but I was never good at the popularity game. I was too busy doing my own thing to see if others agreed that my own thing was inspirational to them. I will always suck at this mentality of becoming a trend-setter because I’m too busy seeing what’s out there to discover. Every discovery I make isn’t always going to become a trend. My likes and dislikes are going to be unique to me, because I’ll probably see them in a different light than others. It doesn’t matter if everyone else chooses HOT PINK, because I may want it in pale blue. People are running towards that celebrity! Oh wait, I just saw the coolest robot in that window across the street. Why is everyone running over there? hmmmm…
Contrary? No, I’m really not trying to be. I just have a curiosity to satisfy. I’m not the cat that satisfaction brought back, because I’m the kitten who will probably get in trouble from chasing after every one of my curiosities (and there are many). Not that trouble will stop me from pursuing those curiosities.
It’s who I am.
I’m not into numbers as measures (unless I’m cooking or something). I’m not trying to overcome 0 or any small number. I’m into content that grows me and my curiosity positively. 0? Not a problem if it’s a measure of my popularity. As long as I like myself, then I think I’ll survive. But 0 is a problem if that’s the amount of content I have to look through. As for the number of people who follow me? Well, I appreciate each one as an individual and strive to keep them apart from one another, so that I never lose sight of them as people with their own uniquely quirky (or not) views and lives. If you don’t see me thank each person who follows me, it’s not because I don’t care. I do – deeply. But I’m a little busy trying to get to know the person behind the number. Who knows what they’ll show me to inspire my curiosity to grow even more. And that means everything to me.
Hey Carolyn,
I love this post. You are a very unique individual and I, personally, am hinoured to know you and have found you. While we have never met I know that you are a quality person. Not just anyone would write the way you do with such honesty.
Nubmers are only important to people who feel they are and are a marketing tool to grow interest. What keeps people around is engagement! It takes time. We all find our niche and the funny thing is our niches are much bigger that we think they are.
Keep on keping on, my friend.
Aww, thanks for your friendship as well! I’m sure that when we do meet, it will be even more amazing. We muskateers have to stick together, right? ; )
It took me a while but I’ve made it to this post! I live in a world in which numbers seem to be everything and I’m familiar to those articles about “the ultimate way of getting 5 million followers”, as well as with the people who write them.
Sometimes numbers are the only thing you can show others for them to understand what you’ve been doing, at least that’s how it is for us in the social media world when the teams we’re working with don’t give a damn about engagement and the social aspect of what we do. But we will change that, don’t worry about it. Social good is coming to stay.
And about you and your numbers, keep on caring about the stuff that matters and doing your thing. You’re too special to be measured using the same ruler they use for everyone else. Period.
Awesome, the three muskateers in one place again! As always, I’m grateful that you and Ralph are my buds. And thanks for understanding that I tend to follow a different beat. I do believe that you will definitely help the change happen. Social media is still growing. It’s people like you that will make it a positive experience. It’s not the numbers but the experience. I’m blushing at both of your compliments – wow, do I feel great now. See – experiences! : )