Forum is only open to alumni (closed for new registrations)
Just a quick note to explain a "not so recent" change in the forum.
Starting from the beginning:
Beginning: anyone could post
I liked the idea that anyone could drop in and share an idea, feedback, or question.
But because of spam issues, I had decided to move to a "registered users only".
So the era of "free posting" was over and:
2nd Phase: only registered users
In this period users had to register to post.
But anyone could register a user and start posting.
In the beginning I didn't like it because I thought we were going to miss on some raw feedback (even though agood chunk of those raw feedback were going to be haters' posts, or generally non-value adding complaints against this or that article).
But I remember John commenting that "it was better because it was quality above quantity".
And he turned out to be right.
The avergae quality did go up.
Now: courses' alumni only
After the website revamping I had to close the website to new user registrations.
It was for technical reasons and I wasn't happy with it.
However, fast forward a few months later, and I think the quality has improved yet again.
It might be bad for business since peopel cannot "get their feet wet" before going all in.
But I think it's better to develop the discipline and have higher-quality conversations because those who write tend to be:
- More committed
- At a higher general station in life (they can afford a course price)
- More skilled / socially aware (they see the value)
- Growing faster (they invest in themselves + they're learning with some of the very best material here)
- More on the same page, including:
- Personal empowerment and goal-orientation, with no posts complaining about women, men, society, etc. etc.
- 360^ Personal growth: few posts on asking how to manipulate or asking about products marketed as "mind controlling" since people are more focused on becoming high-quality (which is of course also more effective)
- "Dark-side aware": there is little finger pointing as people here generally know and accept human nature is both good and bad, and they also have the "bad" within them
So I think that it might be better to keep it this way.
If anyone has any feedback or opinion, feel free to share.
I wanted to take some more time to see how exactly the forum's threads and conversations would turn out after this change was made.
And, in the end, I've decided that I agree.
The quality of the brainstorming, the exchanges of ideas, and the forum overall have all significantly improved — and that's even apparent in the threads where it's only (alumni) forum members sharing their thoughts with each other (before Lucio chimes in with his wisdom :).
Maybe if a "micro PU" ever becomes something that TPM decides to move forward with, it'll be an investment that's more easily affordable that will open up the doors to a lot more new members.
But, until a time like that comes (if it ever does), for right now, I think that this decision was the right one.
Thank you Ali, very helpful feedback!
And yes, from the time this first thread was opened, I've become even more convinced of it.
You're also right about the micro-PU (mini might be a better name?) potentially opening the doors to more members, and I think it will eventually become a reality.