Some time ago I wrote a post called "What I Want To Get Out Of Steemit" which basically stated that I am hoping to become more disciplined in finishing creative projects, to be part of what's 'happening' in the tech, and also to make supplementary income.
Those are all fine and dandy. Nowadays I'd include that I want to meet interesting people from around the world and focus on becoming a better writer.
But 
"a distinction in the headline wording, "what do we want to get out of..."
the major difference that will unlock success for most people is a refocus of the question - shifting thinking from what we want to get, to what can we give...
the giving piece has to come first.
for the rewards, of course. but also for the personal satisfaction - giving our creativity, pouring our hearts out, contributing, serving, supporting, and investing in the community... THAT'S the path to getting what we truly want out of it all..."
Since writing What Do I Want To Get.. I have found myself naturally gravitating towards the 'giving' side, at least some of the time. Rok is right, we can't just be in it to gain, we have to be providing something of quality for other people. Not necessarily in a transactional way — "I post, you pay me" — but something of substantial value.
So here's what I'd like to give on Steemit.
To use whatever platform is available to me to highlight the work of others.
This is why the Steemit Photo Challenge was born. It is a weekly photography contest held over the weekend where prizes upwards of 200 Steem are handed out to the winners and honourable mentions. My goal was stated early on, to generate original content in the photography tag, and to create a hype around a tag that would enable people to get noticed more easily and perhaps get more views on their work. Of course, it helps to win the contest, because you're given a decent about of Steem which you can either cash out or power up to increase your influence.
I'm currently working on another project that, with the support of the community, has the potential to be a big event in somebody's life.
To encourage high quality original work being shared by high quality motivated humans.
This is not a charity. You have to work for what you get. Yet I know what it's like to feel overlooked, and so I endeavour to actively look for stuff that interests me rather than letting it just fall into my lap. I can't be constantly looking, of course, and my upvote is a pittance — I'm not a 'whale' and probably never will be. The goal isn't to become a 'whale' but to have a good reputation for authentic exchange, and quality work. If you do that, I think you'll be fine. As my reputation (and steem power) grows, I will be able to give a bigger boost to the type of content providers that I enjoy most.
To give is to receive.
Every good list has at least three items. By honing my craft in writing, photography, and whatever else, I am able to provide better and better work for others to enjoy. This, obviously, is something that I would (hopefully) be rewarded for. Nothing is for free, unless there's no demand for it — then you can't even give it away! By providing good stuff and interacting with others, the level of work displayed on the platform rises as we get better, so it must be a priority for me not to just post shite, but to actively increase my skill! You shouldn't post shite either. So get working, and those with the motivation and the quality will provide good experiences for others, as well as reap the rewards. Focusing only on 'making money' is the wrong approach unless you are already an established personality. Focusing on quality, consistency, and authenticity is the way to go.
What do you have to offer?
What would you like to give the users of this platform?