Two and a half years is a mighty long time to be blogging on this platform. During this period, I've had the pleasure of meeting some awesome people and making some incredible friends. But it must be said, I've also seen many people come and go. Some had dreams of lofty aspirations which never came to pass. Whereas myself and a select few others decided to stick around and I suppose have done relatively alright. Though the "work" was put in too, in the hopes of getting to where we currently are now. But why do some opt to laboriously slog through the grind and others (dare I say most) give up at the first hurdle?
There are a number of reasons I can postulate over. One being unrealistic expectations. I feel there are two types of people who join Steemit. Those that need to declare out loud their golden road to success by setting numerous milestone of unsustainable achievements. And others who simply get on with it, without looking back. There's a distinct difference between the two. When you start out, it's a game of strategic thinking and staying focused. The hardest aspect of your Steemit journey, some may say. But rationalizing why you posts are making what you do or letting "ego" exceed those proclaimed expectations are the first warning signs. Many on here wish to attain success simply through blogging efforts alone from the start. Again, it's possible but most definitely not probably. People take their cues from others who have already withstood the "grind" to get to where they are, but the problem is many just concentrate on those individual's end result, not the path and time taken to get there.
Another problem is political rhetoric. I've known several people who have left here because of an argument with the wrong person, resulting in a few flags. Or simply for conflicting ideologies about how the platform should be run. With a select few having the need to state this fact through a "Farewell and Fuck You" post, which I do find quite amusing. As the harsh truth of the matter is nobody will bat an eyelid after their departure. The blockchain is an emotionless stream of branching commands and instruction sets. It will chew you up and spit you out if you even try to dissent against it. The people who persevere are the ones who have their head down and just "get on with it". Protests and squabbling is all just noise or interference as far as they're concerned. Literally, a job has to be done and that will always be the priority above all else. Hence, they put "themselves" ahead of everything else. Make yourself important by self-appointment and not banking on the reliance or support of others.
Not making money on your posts can suck. I know, from personal experience at the very start. You type up your masterpiece, take a deep breath and throw it out for the wide world to see. Only to realise, "Hang on a minute, I don't think anyone gives a fuck?" Welcome to the real world. Coz you'd be spot on. Nobody does, expect you. Changing this distressing and problematic situation can only come in two ways. Finding a like-minded group of people who have comparable interests and are on a journey similar to yourself. And the other being, accepting that at the end of the day, the DPOS (Distributed Proof-of-Stake) model is every bit as relevant at the posts you create. Maybe even more so, to some degree. Because power and influence matter here. You don't get the recognition you think you deserve? Buy some Steem, power that shit up and "create" some. Bear in mind, all the preceding points I've made have applied directly to myself through some form or another in the past. Therefore, it appears there "is" a formula for "making it" on Steemit. But knowing that it will be a difficult slog from the very outset is critically essential to actually carrying it out. Again, shift your focus from the "end" of the journey to the very beginning. Create your own destiny on Steemit. It's most certainly not an impossible task and can notably turn out to be a most enjoyable one.
Their are many distractions to keep your attention away from the primary goal. Building your Steem holdings. However politics, debate, disagreements, demotivation and post frustration. They are all initial symptoms leading to ultimate failure. It's your choice whether they affect you or not. People will be people and opinions will never cease to keep the world turning, but how many of them are really relevant to your world? Hang on a sec. That must mean... "You" are in control...
It has been a long time since I have seen someone write such a realistic post about the use of Steemit. It feels like a blessing. Thanks for that.
I admit, I never thought Steemit would have such an impact on my life. What started out of curiosity quickly grew into an addiction. Yes, sometimes I feel hooked. But hooked on what exactly? What makes me come back again and again?
The more time I spent on this platform, the more often I experienced a kind of physical sensations, caused by acute discomfort. A sense of unease. Something's wrong here? The feeling started when I realized that more than half of my followers are probably bots (man, I was so naive). you can imagine how demotivating this felt. You become skeptical. You see hundreds of posts coming back with the same message: how do you become successful on Steemit? Give me 1 SBD and I will resteem your post. How do you increase your visibility? Etc. Everything centered around one specific word: money. 90% of the people came here for that particular reason (including me). I have always blogged and if we are honest, there are many better platforms to do this. Sites that are more user-friendly, with a nicer lay-out and with an amazing community. Money does strange things with people. You can clearly see this here.
Facebook also started with good intentions. They wanted to connect people. They probably didn’t realize that, so many years later, young people become addicted to their daily portion of dopamine. They couldn’t know that people get a false picture of society. Young people in particular are faced with fear, depression or loneliness. And their self-image goes down too (Instagram scores even worse in this area). And then I asked myself the question: aren’t we creating the devil himself? Innocent looking 'likes' already have such a huge impact on society. Replace those 'likes' with the word 'money' and you get a very dangerous combination.
But if you decide to stay, you also realize that some great things happen here. And that is the mysterious attraction of Steemit. That attraction ultimately wins from all those negative thoughts. If you use this platform with the right mindset, great things can happen. Realistic expectations is indeed one important aspect. Steemit is full of fascinating personalities. Find them, communicate, interact, and you immediately get a completely different picture of the value of this platform. If you only look at the many applications that are being developed here, Steemit can be a jaw-dropping experience.
I just think it's important to keep asking certain questions. History has repeated itself too often.
Very insightful comment and you raise some great points. It all boils down to one's own self as the prime motivating factor, extraneous to any unexpected third party incumbrances. Easier than said most of the time, but completely possible, nonetheless.
Thanks again. :)
To me, anyone that sees steemit as a primary source of income will never wait till the end but if you perceive steemit as a platform that allows you to contribute to your society then you will see the end of the road and you will be rewarded and successful.
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If only everyone could see things the same way. :)
I think it ultimately boils down to expectations, focus and patience. I have moderate expectations of Steem, and I have plenty of patience with it, but limited focus because I need to prioritize other parts of my life. Knowing that allows me to adjust my expectations and patience accordingly—it’ll take me longer to get a decent return, and the return will be smaller. I’m okay with that, and am able to adjust accordingly.
Good advice, Ezzy. Always interesting to hear from folks who’ve made good on the platform.
As long as you adjust your expectations according to the work you put in, everything should fall in line with the goals you achieve. Many thanks. :)
@ezzy you are right man , it's frustrating when there are no immediate returns..It's like you are on tenterhooks . But one must not forget that 'patience is key to success' . :)
You got it, bud. :)
I am still looking for that magic circle and I think I already jump out my comfort zone and continue looking for that magic to happen.
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My advice is if it's not working, up the ante from your side.
I'm here about 5 months now. Learned a lot and trying to find each options what could bring my reputation up beside give me few coin to celebrate the momentum. Than you for such a real story @ezzy
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