Last year was our fifth year running Mighty Events. Our events have raised over $80,000 for Charity Water, spawned countless collaborations and personal victories, and even helped inspire a few books.
So I’m sad to say that there won’t be a Camp Mighty this year.
Life List resource share wall at Camp Mighty, photo by Nicole Stevenson.
In the last five years, the landscape around blogging has changed dramatically, and our team has gone through lots of personal and professional transition as well.
Photos by Leslie Fandrich.
We thought about switching venues, making the weekend a little shorter, changing the pricing structure, all the things one considers in these situations. Unfortunately, Camp Mighty has become too difficult to swing both financially and logistically.
Margaret Gould Stewart, Facebook Director of Product Design, wears her Go Mighty necklace while ticking off her goal of speaking on the TED main stage. Photo by Susie Katz.
The Life List community at Go Mighty is where I, and many of you, have housed adventures over the past couple of years.
Nicole Balch, publisher of Making it Lovely, checks off her goal of going sightseeing on a scooter at Camp Mighty.
Go Mighty member Jenny Stockton‘s first paycheck for something she wrote.
The violin Go Mighty member Caitlin Marlotte made with her hands.
Seeing everything you’re doing there is inspiring in the no-bullshit sense of the word.
Pinterest Co-Founder Ben Silberman speaking at Camp Mighty. Photo by Jennifer Davies.
On a personal note, I’ve been surprised by the deep sense of accomplishment I get from seeing all my own aspirations gathered and ticked off over time.
I look forward to having more time in that space.
Amber Marlow at Camp Mighty, photo by Leslie Fandrich.
For those of you who have found your people through our events, particularly Camp Mighty and Mighty Summit, I hope you’ll continue doing what you’ve always done.
Our first event, Broad Summit 2009, which is featured in Jenny Lawson’s New York Times Bestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened.
Mighty Summit, 2010
Mighty Summit, 2011.
Mighty Summit, 2012.
Camp Mighty reunion in NYC, photo by Leslie Fandrich.
The Be More Awesome Summit, inspired by Mighty Summit and hosted by Go Mighty member Ruth Stine.
You support each other in person and online, share resources to help each other achieve personal victories, and do good stuff for the world.
Artist and Camp Mighty speaker Lisa Congdon‘s print “Deep,” which she sold to raise her Camp Mighty donation to Charity Water.
I hope Go Mighty can still help with that.
Lori in the pool by Jetkat Photo.
Thanks for giving us a chance to get to know you. You are good people.
Mighty Girl 
Oh, my heart just broke a little. But I get it (I really do). x
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Maggie, I’m actually wearing my mighty necklace right now as I type this. All awesome things eventually run their course (or perhaps, rather, *change* their course) and you should always hold close all the amazing things that came from this work as you leap to your next adventure. xoxox
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I’m sad it’s over but so happy it happened. ❤
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Oh…sad. Went for the first time last year and wear my necklace everyday. Where will I see you all again?
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Camp Mighty was such a wonderful experience. I’m so pleased I was able to participate and meet so many dynamic and inspiring people as part if the weekend. Thanks for making camp Mighty happen Maggie.I look forward to seeing the many ways your mighty spirit is on display going forward.
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Wow. Maggie. For whatever reason you guys have decided to end Camp Mighty, you should know what an inspirational *activator* you are. I made the choice to attend that first 2011 *Camp* Mighty and it turned out to be one of the main things that propelled me into so many things I’m doing now (tuenight.com, book proposal starting and owning a sparkly space dress that I will someday bequeath to my niece) Maybe more importantly are the dynamic PEOPLE I met there whom I now consider friends. Can’t wait to see what you do next. Best os luck and spacey sparkles
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Well, boo. Getting to Summit/Camp is on my Life List. Let this be a lesson about waiting too long to accomplish those goals, huh?
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Aww, drat. Another camp-was-on-my-life-list person here. Alas! Still, I understand the reasoning, and you have my heartfelt thanks for everything you’ve done, and continue to do.
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Awe, I’m totally sad that I will have to take Camp Mighty off my Go Mighty List. Thanks for all you do! Happy to hear Go Mighty will still be alive and kicking. 🙂
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Not to be all Pollyanna about it, but I can’t wait to see what is next (and be a part of it).
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Sad face. It was on my life list to attend Camp Mighty this year. Looking forward to whatever you come up with next. And hoping for another camp down the road.
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Long-time listener, first time caller…
While I can be selfishly bummed out that I never had an opportunity to attend, I can certainly understand the need to change and grow. And look at what good you’ve put into the world! I look forward to your next awesome ideas.
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Oh DARN! I had hoped to attend this year for the first time ever, as I finally found the means and time off to swing it–by starting my own business! (Hmm, I should probably check that off my life list, eh? 😀 )
Fervent hopes and fingers crossed for future Mighty events!
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I’m so sorry that Camp Mighty is no more — Mighty Summit was so amazing, a definite turning point for me. Thank you, ladies. I can’t wait to see you all again. XO
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Oof. Right in the gut. But I think I thought this might happen.
I’ll have to sojourn to Palm Springs solo this year. I don’t think I’ll get anything accomplished in 2015 without floating in the pool to think about it first.
Thank you for starting it, though. It was a game changer and amazing launch pad for me.
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sad face big time!! camp mighty was great and so thankful for my experience there!!
so sorry that i had really good coffee after not drinking coffee for 10 years (heck i still think i am 25) and had a panic attach with the caffeine- this was the most comforting and accepting place to have a caffeine overload- you guys are amazing!!
to more on the horizon, you do incredible work! XXOO
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You’ve done great things for good people. High five, sister. Onward. 🙂
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It made all the difference for me at a critical time. Thank you. Good things, all good things.
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Oh, I’m heartbroken! But also encouraged because it takes true, honest, vulnerable leadership to make this kind of decision and I totally respect that. Thanks for being an inspiration, Miss Maggie. I still hope to meet you in person one day. 🙂
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I have the print from the Broad Summit hanging outside my office, on a wall of photos that remind me of wonderful moments in my life. I’m so grateful that I was able to take part in the summit, and in the first Camp Mighty — both events changed my thinking about so many things, in such wonderful ways. Love you, friend — thank you for creating so many fantastic opportunities for all of us to be mighty. xo
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I’m grateful that I got a chance to attend the farewell camp mighty. I know the ripples keep on going.
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Oh I was afraid of this, I really was. I want to say I understand but give me a minute. I attended the first two Mighties and had to miss after that. Thank you for what you have given me. Amber, I might just meet you in Palm Springs to think things over.
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We had so much fun, didn’t we? Thank you for everything. Camp changed my life in so many ways. I’ll never forget the lessons I learned, the people I met and all the things that started for me there. You did amazing things for so many people. Wishing you, Laura and the whole team the best of luck in all your future adventures. xoxoxo
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How have things changed? What did blogging have to with Camp Mighty? Wasn’t this a for-profit event, people paid to come, right?
I keep hearing about the blogging landscape changing, but as a consumer of blogs, all I see is people blogging less and then only writing sponsored posts.
Enlighten me, please?
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I’m so happy for this post. Of all the blogs in the constellation of blogs in the Internet universe, yours is the one I have come back to, the only one I come back to nowadays. Your voice consistently speaks to the good: in endeavors, in possibility, in people. I read this post through that filter – it’s a beginning of something else. I hope we get to see it.
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thank you for the awesomeness of camp mighty! my experience there (as you know) was inspirational!
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Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate your comments and support. Elise, maybe I can explain a little better.
Conferences, even very simple ones, are expensive to produce. Registration fees rarely cover costs, and at Camp Mighty $200 of our registration fee went direct to Charity Water.
Camp Mighty and blogging were tied because (although everyone was welcome) the event was produced by bloggers and mostly attended by other bloggers. That’s a lot of the reason we were able to get sponsorships for a relatively intimate event.
Sponsors think, “This is only 150 people, but most of those people have audiences and will talk about it, so it’s worth our investment.” Without sponsor support, an event like Camp Mighty isn’t as feasible without charging what we felt to be an unreasonable registration fee, and/or dropping the Charity Water donations.
When people say “blogging is changing,” they mean that a big chunk of readers’ attention has moved to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the like. Fewer comments on the actual sites affect bloggers’ ability to make a living purely from writing on their own, and for the most part, blogs that are thriving have adopted a magazine model where multiple writers are paid to contribute. Here are some more detailed explanations if you’re curious.
The Blog is Dead, Long Live the Blog by Jason Kottke who was the first professional blogger:
http://www.niemanlab.org/2013/12/the-blog-is-dead/
State of the Blog Union by Grace Bonney, DesignSponge publisher:
http://www.designsponge.com/2014/01/state-of-the-blog-union-how-the-blogging-world-has-changed.html
I hope that clarifies a little.
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Can’t wait to see what’s next, Maggie.
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Maggie, it’s not hyperbole to say that your work has changed my life. I am so grateful for everything you and your vision have done for me.
Grace’s post brought it all together for me, too. Everything truly is different now. Here are my thoughts: http://www.parenthacks.com/2014/06/blogging-is-not-dead.html
I honestly believe something true and creative will result, even as the economics shift. I can’t wait to see what you do next, even if that means moving on and sharing your personal observations here or on Medium. You are such a gifted writer, speaker, motivator and thinker…that will never change.
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Maggie:
I am going to leave “Go to Camp Mighty with my wife” on my Mighty Life List. I will remain hopeful that there will be an opportunity sometime in the future (still have a 40 year window).
Your Mighty life list has been a huge influence on my life (been following your blog almost from the very beginning) and I just recently joined Go Mighty (and going to get my wife started with it soon)
Just FYI, I would be fine with paying for gomighty.com (or at least making it know how one could get money to you). Yes, it would be worth it.
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