Hi @denmarkguy, thank you so much for that detailed example -- that's exactly what I needed to understand. I definitely understand the content aspect of all of this, but the cryptocurrency and numbers side still befuddles me a little. An example like that is exactly what I needed, thank you.
I'll definitely be tracking everything, too. I feel you on being a "believer" very early. I've been trying to ignore that popular wisdom that you should save all of your good content for later. I want to be as consistent as possible with my production of high-quality content so people come to know me for it! That's why I'm so excited by a platform like Steemit that rewards positive reputation. While decentralized, it's exactly the people-based (not popularity or "how hot do I look"-based) system I was looking for.
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply!