Serious me at Steemfest 1, 
When I started on Steem (or steemit.com, back then this was the only dapp, now we have hundreds) I had no clue what I was getting into.
This is how I started. July 2016.
The first thing I did was buy some Steem and then I just tried to make posts.
I had no idea how the system worked. There was no manual for noobs.
I had no idea really what made a post got to $500 for some and $0 for others.
I had no idea about reward curves and all that stuff.
I had no idea how others got their STEEM to begin with.
I also wasn't as dedicated as I am now. It was just for fun and and frankly that was a huge mistake.
I should have done the research straight away.
These types of opportunity's don't come around often and when they do appear you need to take them with both hands.
These are the top #21 authors from back in the day that did get it.
They all earned more than 100k+ STEEM (from scratch btw, an impossible feat. now) and all in a relatively short period of time in 2016.
Then Steemfest 1 happened and I went there and it changed everything for me.
I saw the power of community first hand. I saw the potential.
After this event I started to take Steem more serious to the point I dedicate a huge part of my life too it.
I remember taking these notes in the train on the way back from SF1.
Justin Bieber has not joined yet though :)
From a blogger I also became a vlogger because I realised those where lacking at the time.
That was a good move even though I was terrible at it at first. This is my first vlog.
According to Steemitboard I have now made content every single day for the last 94 weeks (650+ days).
Not skipped a day.
Being consistent is key with most things you do in life.
What has changed over the years is my position on good content.
Good content does not exist, so don't worry about it, post whatever you feel like. Be free. Always post the source if you use one. But in general: you will never know if that photo with you and your friends drinking beer will put a smile on someone's face, you will never know if that story about your weight-loss will inspire someone else, you will never know if that silly meme you thought of will make someone laugh if you don't post it. Never let 'what others might think' dictate your content. Being mediocre = not bad!
All that effort resulted in 69k STEEM earned from blogging up till this point but the majority of my Steempower I grinded together in the last 2,5 years by buying it.
Throwing every bit of Cash into STEEM at the start and also recently in the downtrend.
And I still grind today.
Nowadays. I believe in Steem more than ever before. I know what's being build here. I also make sure I stay up to date about everything Steem.
Every single STEEM I have I consider precious and I don't want to part with it because it took so much effort to get.
But there is another reason.
I also know that when I ever choose to power down and the price stays the same or goes up, I will never be able to earn it back through blogging or buying it anytime soon.
That's always something to consider too before you do it.
Stay consistent and Steem on!
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