An Open Note To Everyone On The Board

misterhub · July 2019

All,

I probably will tick some folks off, but that is okay. I don't really care. This has been on my mind for some time, and I finally decided to say something.

We need more active participation and fewer lurkers. There are about ten folks, give or take a couple, who post 90% of the content on this board. Sometimes not even that many.

I get that sometimes folks are limited by travel, work, and events. I, myself, have had that occur. It happens. But, that's not what I am talking about in this situation.

In the past some individuals have said they don't participate because all they ever see are the daily threads. Well...post something else to go along with those threads. Provide a link to an article you find interesting. Ask a question. Make a comment. There is no rule that prevents YOU from posting something besides the daily threads. Blaming the daily threads is just an excuse.

Speaking of daily threads - it is sad that it's necessary to beg folks to support the LTL thread each month. If you don't like that thread, fine. Don't participate. But, based on the number of views of that thread, identified by my mobile app, there are FAR more readers of the thread than there are participants. And, if you are a reader, you must be getting something out of it. If you are getting something out of it, you ought to give something back. It does not take that much effort to come up with one question per week to pose to the community at large. It really does not. One question per week. Seriously, that's not hard.

I have suggested, in the past, that folks make two posts per week that supplement the daily threads. I renew that suggestion today. Heck, make just one post per week to supplement the daily threads. One. That's not that hard.

If we can't get this board healthier, I think we should put it out of its misery before it dies the long, slow tragic death of abandonment. A mercy killing is better than seeing it fade away miserably due to apathy.

JMHO. YMMV.

88olds · July 2019

Thanks for the post Greg. Guilty.

I was just coming on here thinking about posting about how I have to get away form the Motivation board. I’ve recently seen a couple of weird things over there and kept thinking - wouldn’t ever happen on GoaD. No place like home.

whathapnd · July 2019

I haven't been around much the past month, but as I've said before, I would never have lost the weight the first time nor believed I could re-lose it without GOAD. GOAD is/was every bit as important to my weight loss success as a food scale is/was. I'd be crushed if our neighborhood went away.

I've been lurking a lot on the Success Stories and Fitness & Exercise boards. There are some wise folks over there too. ( And some crazies.)

I've watched a few Tedx Talks the past few days and thought they'd be good to post/discuss here. I'll circle back.

Thanks for putting this out there, Greg.

Al_Howard · July 2019

I agree. One thing that always gripes me, is not everyone checks in on the roll call.
I realise some don't think it's important, but many of us "ole time" GOADers look to it to see if everyome's above ground. It's only a few keystrokes.

steve0mania · July 2019

My participation in MFP-GOAD has been up and down. We had a death in the family a few weeks ago, and it took the wind out of my sails. I wasn't much in the mood to participate. That's not an excuse, but simply a statement of fact.

The underlying issue is one of understanding what this board is and how the participants see it.

On the one hand, if this is a reflection of the old GOAD board, where there are threads and one simply participates as one wishes, I think we've dipped below critical mass to sustain a model like that. There simply aren't enough people to have a diverse set of thought processes (and threads) that can create multiple meaningful discussions and conversations every day. A larger group would mean that one can look for thread that they want to participate in, and ignore those that they don't.

On the other hand, if the model is now that the 5-10 participants here are committed to one-another as friends, supporters, colleagues, or whatever, that's a different issue. In that case participation is driven by an intrinsic interest in what everyone is saying. A model like this requires a higher level of trust and attention, because it requires a willingness to open yourself up to the group.

For me (and this is just one person speaking), I think we are trending towards the latter model. In that model, simply posting links to interesting articles without a personal connection doesn't create a high-level of enthusiasm for me to participate. Instead, I find myself more eager to participate when we dig through some struggle, psychology, approach, or whatever, that I can think about more deeply.

I am certainly willing to commit to participating more actively. It will be nice to have some more active discussion again!

misterhub · July 2019

Steve, I am very sorry to hear of your loss. I truly understand how that affects one's mood to participate in social media.

I understand your point about posting article links. However, in the past, they have generated discussion from others. While that does not resonate with you, it apparently does with others. I'll also point out that many of those articles can be made personal with a little extra thought. However, sometimes, they simply are meant to be informative.

But, beyond that, I was really responding to those who complain that all they see are the daily threads when they come to the board. And, I'll reiterate my point: If you (generic) don't see what you want to see - then POST what you want to see. The board only works - regardless the number - if people actually participate.

You do a good job in posting interesting discussions, which are unrelated to the daily threads. You are not the issue.

Jerdtrmndone · July 2019

I'm here still with you but quit. Reason why when miminize ask to post The LTL to help not one person signed up and when Greg posted seemed like everyone was willing to help out so I felt My help wasn't good enough. I am here with GOAD since WW. board and a lot of time I get a lot out of the posts. I am just a simple person and don't have the knowledge as most here but I try my best to participate the best I can. i am not good with words and I'm not a quitter and would like continue to be here so I will be here now. I may miss roll call till evening. But in al thank you to all those that have helped me through tough time in the past.

whathapnd · July 2019

I'll add another "excuse." I frequently craft responses in my head to posts but less frequently get around to typing and posting them. I commit to be more disciplined in getting words from head to board.

imastar2 · July 2019

First thanks Greg @misterhub for bringing forth this subject to the forefront. I know it's an excuse but not saying I'm any busier then anyone else but here it is 9:51 eastern time reading these post and replying. I usually don't lurk but may be guilty of reading a post then wanting to comeback to answer. One of my issues i has I don't know when to stop writing on any given issue and finding myself writing and giving honest thought to a post and look up 30+ minutes later still thinking writing ect;. I truly enjoy reading and participating but of late there's not been enough participation to keep a thread alive so that can be discouraging. I know Monday I started the LTL but never got back to participate in my own thread about Summer.

I do remember years back one thread could last for pages sometimes a day or two but that's the past and really had no bearing on today's issue. So I've been checking in FB roll call but the same thing seems to be happening there as well.

So I sometimes wonder if now I'm not in bottom 5 or middle what. I just know I check in as often as I can and certainly my toes have not been steps on. So where do we go from here?

GavinFlynn1 · July 2019

Thanks for raising the issue. Lately, I’ve been noticing my need to post more. I haven’t actually posted that often, but now I can tell that it’s what I need to do.

I remember when I first started WW, I relied on the saying “it’s harder to fall off the wagon when you’re sitting in the middle.” For me, posting regularly on GoaD was one way for me to stay “in the middle”.

This time I have struggled to open up on GoaD for a variety of reasons. Those reasons are not worth the cost of not getting in the middle. I’m 7 pounds heavier than I was in April. I keep teaching myself that I cannot do this (maintain a healthy lifestyle) on my own.

So again, thanks for raising the issue.

Jimb376mfp · July 2019

We are down to approximately 15 regular GoaDs who hit Roll Call. I have been with WW since 2013 and followed GOAD there and here. Maybe I have been burned out?

I will try to do better and we all need to look at what we want for GoaD to be as a group.

No answers here but to let you know I am thinking!

lowbar31 · July 2019

Noted. A lot of things have changed since WW kicked us off their property.

myallforjcbill · July 2019

Things were changing for GoaD before we packed up and move off of WW property in advance of them pulling the plug. We talked about it then. I check in daily, I only comment on LTL if I have something to offer. Often my point or feelings have been expressed. I suppose I could do a "me to". When we had a more sizeable active membership, the thread topics would evolve and frankly change due to our unique sense of humor. I can do better certainly, but there aren't many of us and new blood isn't happening. I doubt we will ever be what we once were, but I certainly can try to do my part. LTL I think is near the end and we need to decide if daily is the way to go. In the same old small group, the questions often are rethreads of rethreads. Some of our most successful threads recently have been non-LTL threads when someone has a thought or question or observation, like this one.

Philtex · July 2019

I was a very active member of Goad on the old WW board. I found the board when I joined WW and went thru my weight loss journey. I learned a lot about the Points Plus program and weight loss in general. Goad was a key factor in reaching my goal and keeping the weight off for years. Once I lost the weight I did my best to pay it back by helping newbies to WW. Giving that help, and discussing 'weight management theory' with the members of Goad was an enjoyable activity.

When Goad moved to MFP I spent a lot of time and effort trying to recruit mew members from other MFP boards. I posted a lot here too, including replies to newbies introducing themselves on the 'Cue the Rolling Stones' post. Over time, weight management has become less of a focus for me. Yes, I lurk here once or twice a week but find I have little in common with the board these days.

Why is MFP Goad dying out? I believe it is missing the key ingredient of the old WW Goad - the WW program itself. The ins and outs of working the WW program was what brought people to Goad and what conversations centered around. Tell me again, how do you calculate points for alcohol? Does anyone here follow and talk about the MFP program for losing weight? Would a newbie to that program who was browsing the boards for help read some Goad posts and find them helpful?

I miss discussions with the old gang of Goadies, but those days are gone. Life takes us in different directions and mine certainly has. I hope I still have the opportunity to post a reply here now and then. Good luck to the diehards fighting to keep the board going. I hope my ramblings above offer a perspective that can help.

Flintwinch · July 2019

I am a reader here and rarely post. I've been active on a Cancer Support Forum for 13 years and only a small percentage of readers (<5%) actively participate. That seems to be the case with most forums.

Guys on a Diet (GoaD)

An Open Note To Everyone On The Board

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