News from the Room
Over the past week I’ve been reminded of something that I think a lot of us know deep down but don’t always admit: views don’t equal influence.
A video can go viral, rack up hundreds of thousands of views, and still not create the kind of impact you’re hoping for. Numbers don’t always translate into action.
This isn’t just coming from my own, small platform. A few weeks ago, Mr Beast, a creator who has quite literally one of the largest followings on youtube, was frustrated when Rolling Stone ranked him seventh on their most influential people list. Below to Caleb Heron, a creator who has significantly less followers and has only recently become more well known worldwide. Mr Beast pointed to his massive number of followers and views as evidence that he should be above him. But another creator summed it up well — views don’t equal influence. Influence is about your voice, your story, and how you connect with people in a way that moves them. Caleb Heron makes that connection to his audience far better than Mr Beast does, regardless of views.
I’m bringing this up because earlier in the week, I worked with other bereaved parents to release a video calling on the federal government to fund a national Stillbirth Awareness campaign. That video alone has had over 100,000 views, and we’ve since released more content that’s now in the hundreds of thousands. The petition we’re asking people to sign has grown nearly 5000 signatures in just five days, which is great progress. But when you put those signatures against the number of views, the conversion rate is still low.
That gap makes me stop and ask questions. What actually moves someone from watching a video to taking action? Is it hearing the personal side of our stories — like the fact that my daughter Billie was stillborn, and that I tragically held her in my arms knowing it would be the first and last time I’d see her? Or is it about making the next steps clearer and easier — showing exactly why signing matters and how it leads to change?
The views tell me people are paying attention. The signatures tell me some are taking action. But there’s a big space in between, and that’s where I want to focus. Because the goal isn’t just to be seen, it’s to create something that makes people stop, feel, and then do something.
It’s about impact, not views.
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Thunderdome
Tuesday was spent riding around in circles getting a great training session in.
Louder Together Campaign
As mentioned at the top of this newsletter. I was involved in helping spread the message that there is a petition open (ends Sunday night) to get the Federal Government to fund a National Stillbirth Awareness Campaign.
If every single person in Australia knew about stillbirth, and the fact that there are things mothers can do to help prevent the risk of having a stillbirth, we could essentially drop the rate of stillbirth by 20%. Thats basically saving one baby every single day.
Daddy Day Care
Other than that, this week was spent looking after my daughter as she has been sick with croup and couldn’t shake it. It was a great week of fun and bonding as she’s now beginning to understand me and also communicate in her own way. Plus she started walking this week so she’s on the move constantly.
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Weekly Musings
What I’m Watching: AKA Charlie Sheen
The new Netflix documentary about Charlie Sheen takes a close look at his life, career and long, destructive relationship with addiction. It’s an interesting watch.
No matter what you think of him, Sheen has always known how to put on a show. That charisma comes through here as well, but the film feels designed to reintroduce him to the public and position him for a career comeback. It doesn’t avoid the chaos he created, the selfish choices, or the damage he caused, yet it also leans hard on the idea that he’s a good person underneath it all and someone worth cheering for.
I’m glad he’s sober. I’m glad he’s repairing relationships with his family and friends. More than anything, I respect Martin Sheen and his brothers for standing by him through the worst of it with patience and compassion. Without them, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t still be here.
What lingers after watching isn’t just Sheen’s survival, but how poisonous money and fame can be. The documentary shows how many in the industry were willing to profit from him while he spiralled out of control, pushing him further into addiction instead of helping him out of it.
New workout routine I’m implementing: Norwegian 4x4
I’ve known about the Norwegian 4×4 for a while, but I never had the incentive to try it—until I heard Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss a study on its effects. The protocol is simple: four minutes of high-intensity effort, three minutes of light recovery, repeated four times, with a warm-up and cool-down.
The study followed sedentary 50-year-olds for two years. Their VO2 max and heart endurance improved, and markers of cardiac ageing reversed by about 20 years, making their hearts function more like those of people in their 30s.
It’s demanding and not something I reccomend jumping straight into if you aren’t already doing some form of cardio fitness, but the potential benefits are compelling. The Norwegian 4×4 shows how the right kind of intensity can do more than build fitness—it can slow how your body ages.
And to be honest, with the battering I’ve given my body, anything to help slow the aging process in some way is fine by me.
It’s been a week of training, family and purposeful campaigns. All coming together to push the needle forward.
If you’d like to help us keep moving forward with Scooting for Hope and the work of Room Eleven, the best way is to share this newsletter, spread the word, or reach out if you’d like to get involved.
See you next week.
Rob
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