Followers
Follower To Follower #17
Responding To The Phases Of Growth
(This is an old article, more than 60 days old. Many of the people tagged are no longer active.)
Welcome friends!
New and old friends alike, we share a common goal and a common path here on Medium. The goal of success and the path between obscurity and visibility.
Because we share this goal and this path, I’d like to express to you the challenges I’ve experienced during my Medium journey. Oh, and in case you didn’t already know, I’ve had more than one account thus far.
It’s been an interesting ride!
The Noob Phase
Everyone reading will understand this one! It’s that moment just before and right after deciding to plunge into a Medium account and give it a go! Filled with energy and hope, you’ll write one anxiety-fueled post and then wonder what comes next!
For many people, it’s crickets and silence. 😥
That’s one of the many reasons I’ve created the Follower To Follower series; to help connect with people across Medium and string together a sense of community! If you’re new here, that’s why you were tagged — welcome to Medium, and know you’re not as alone as it may seem!
After a time, this phase gets shattered by the silence — or by the knowledge that 100 followers stand between you and MPP.
100 Followers Phase
Still a newbie, but with a basic grasp that things won’t unlock until 100 followers are acquired. The task seems daunting, but still moderately doable. But how? Some do the research to find techniques while others try desperately to snag people through writing alone.
There’s no wrong way (well, except paid, automated, bots, and other such scammy methods). Everyone tries their best, with some struggling more than others.
For people in this phase, Follower To Follower tends to really shine through — meeting others whose paths were unlikely to ever cross otherwise!
(Stay tuned for that part near the end of the article!)
MPP Noob Phase
These members have achieved the fabled 100 and can now address the application for MPP.
There are many that do not qualify, for reasons beyond their control.
As sad as it seems, many people aren’t in countries supported by Stripe. That gets really disheartening, as one easy source of motivational dopamine gets ripped from their grasp.
Others still realize how little one view is worth, and get equally frustrated by the system. Despite their luck at qualifying, the road ahead seems much longer than they assumed.
(If you are in either of those groups of this phase, consider checking out the 4 Best Ways To Use Medium — it might help you find your way!)
Growing Together Phase
After the shock of things wears off, this is where people start to settle in with the Medium platform. Whether continuing to actively gain followers or focusing on the “organic” methods, this phase marks the first stage of true growth!
In this phase, people are encouraged to engage with others and build their tribe — maybe focus on reading the articles of others in their spare time.
Somewhere between 200 and 300 followers, reading articles to support others tends to become overwhelming, signaling the beginning of the next phase. (See why here.)
The Trimming Phase
This is where I’m currently at — and while it’s the last one I can really mention here, I’m sure it’s not the last phase of growth along this journey.
The growth has just begun!
In this stage, I’ve paired down reading to whatever I would have clicked from my feed to begin with — trusting in the algorithm to bring stories I will enjoy (knowing it’s influenced by the people actively engaging with me).
But I realize now that comments are also a habit needing to be pruned — the amount of time I spend responding to people has become unmanageable; if I take ONE day off, I have to spend at least 4 hours on comment responses alone!
That’s not helping me help people at all…
My Next Phase
For my sanity, and to continue allowing for growth, I won’t be responding to every comment anymore. For now, the cuts will be on Follower To Follower articles; those get the bulk of the comments, and they are also the majority of the growth for now.
I want to stress that this isn’t a message of being “above” anything; I really love responding to all of you! But I have limitations, and have to adjust to that. Sigh.
I’ll still spend time clapping, though — to let you know I saw and appreciated your comments!
Seeing all your encouraging comments has helped me TREMENDOUSLY with staying motivated to continue the Follower To Follower series!
From now on, unless there’s a question or you’re brand-new and looking to be on a future list, I’ll be responding to your kind words with claps instead of responses.
No hard feelings, I hope?
Well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get to fertilizing your growth — so you can one day get to this sobering moment yourselves! (The path to success is often bittersweet!)
Remember: no one is required to follow anyone else, ever. This isn’t a “follow-for-follow” kind of list (though what you all do with it is up to you).
- Rena Joy 2. IrisMinn 3. Sky 4. Maddy W 5. fortune_unashamed
6. Chiwuike Owunwa 7. TanXeela Atta 8. Website Gworl 9. Harsh Gaurav
10. Anshika Rana 11. Daniel Moehser 12. Koech Don 13. Julianna
14. Samuel Ngari 15. Muhammad Shayan 16. Thea Elise 17. Rebecca Jay
18. Michael Santiago 19. Maaja Wentz 20. Andrei 21. Daphne Prima
22. Alden Brooks 23. Mridul Vijay 24. Andrea Otto-Davidson 25. D.D. Dwase
How To Get Mentioned In A Future List (Or Not)
Let me know in a comment on any F2F article like this one, and I’ll add you to a future one. UNLESS you request not to be on a list, then you’ll be removed-no questions asked!
There’s also an Evergreen version in the works-if you’re interested, click the link and sign up to the newsletter below for more details as it develops!
Remember to clap, comment, and either follow Monster Alley (where they’re published) or save the list for more of these! Good luck on your climb!
Until next time, follow each other, follow the dopamine, and follow yourself, always!
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