Hi,
we haven't talked yet, it's the first time I'm commenting on you (or so I guess).
I tried to get an overview of your interests and therefore sorted your last 1000 articles by tags (through steemworld.org). There is an overhang in it, so I interpret your majority interest in gaming, technology, and crypto-relevant and based topics.
I think you've basically gained a valuable insight that you can apply primarily to yourself. Speaking of comfort zone and growth (do you mean that in the sense of maturity?).
Since I cannot derive any quantitative numbers from your tag-use regarding your own habit (on comments) here on Steemit, I would ask you for an estimate: On a scale of 0-10, how high is your commitment beyond your own special interest? 0 stands for "not there", 10 for "very high". Would you trust your own assessment?
The call to the community to act against their habit of interest is basically a useful one. However, if someone does not have multiple interests and basically wants to act like a "good Steemian" to please you or others, a comment/engagement is likely to be less profound and the person receiving it will not necessarily be particularly impressed or authentically perceive commitment. From a psychological and philosophical point of view "pleasing" is something we actually repel. But the ego thinks otherwise.
You can't fake authenticity, incentives just cover up a lack of interest that can't be manipulated after all (certainly not in the long run). In order to maintain this, you have to give these incentives constantly and steadily in order to keep users happy. This will bore you at some point and you will go back to the special interests that actually inspire and encourage you. Man is happiest where his creative resources can unfold.
In case, you can fake authenticity so well that your recipient engages with you, you will accidentally transform a "fake into make" :)
Overall, I assume Steemit is a landscape dominated by developers, players and technicians. It's a neutral observation that doesn't judge. Those who enter the room as otherwise interested bring diversity with them. However, the developers, technicians and witnesses could hold back and also make this space available for this diversity. In my opinion, if you do, it often has the taste of something arduous.
Don't get me wrong, but you early adopters (or witnesses) want to be many things in one: community founders, technical developers, advisors, encouragers, players, etc., etc. - Anyone who has reached a relevant amount of VP/SP here runs the risk of flattery, attention and even fighting going to their head. I've never heard anyone say that one of big ones here is looking for an advisor (or fool) who is not aiming for his vanity, but for valuable feedback in the sense of a maturing in character/leadership.
Don't you already know the outcome of your quest? From what I think, you are not going to be very much surprised. You'll get the usual responses. But isn't it the unexpected you aim for?
I invite you to my blog and see if there is anything of interest for you. I am here for two years and a bit and I rarely saw any witness, developer, technician visiting what I write about. No blame, but it pays into what you talk about here. If there isn't anything which catches your interest or inspires you, I prefer an honest answer.
Bye from Germany!