Yesterday I got a comment on my post that triggered me. I was going to go on a full rant (had already written a long and detailed post) but thanks to 
She made me realize that I did not need to explain myself to anybody (after I had done just that), my work and dedication to this platform should speak for itself (Although I think it is important for people to understand your motive, which is what I aim to achieve with this piece)
Sometimes people never get to see past your wins. Recently on the chain, we had someone go on a full rant because of a project that became successful overnight that he deemed useless. It is quite easy to give in to the superiority mindset--I have, sometimes. But I have learnt how not to worry about things outside my control.
Also, it is quite easy to miss the things that make one influential on the chain. It is not about what you do but how you do it. For instance, you might be a dev working on some major projects on hive and no one knows what you are doing because you have not communicated that well to the community.
Someone else might be doing the same work but getting more support just because they have better social skills than you do. Having a presence is important. There is no shame in wanting to be recognized for the work you do, just communicate it well.
LIFE ON HIVE
A lot has changed for me this year on hive. My focus has shifted from the money to the people. In previous years I was writing solely for the money. I wanted to make enough; stake enough; grow my account and it worked. My motive turned me into an idea-generating machine.
Writing comes easy to me. I hold myself back from sharing as much as I can. I could comfortably post multiple high-value contents daily without much stress and double my earnings. Fortunately, most of what I create resonates with people here, so I will still be adding value--more to myself. However, I have chosen to use that time to do things that don't directly benefit me.
My primary focus is to build and add value to other people's lives. It is the most fulfilling thing. I get mental orgasms when I help people with the information and knowledge I have gathered over the years. Not even a $100 upvote can match that feeling.
My life is a lot more meaningful knowing I am contributing to something larger than myself. It is not the easiest task, especially when I still need to attend to my obligations. That robs me of my peace most times.
I hope to get to a point in my life where I don't have to worry about myself or the people I love. Life is so much more when you operate on this level. Jordan Peterson calls this the 'highest possible good'.
You don't want to live for yourself because it is the easiest way to lose meaning and that's mainly because the self is insatiable. Many of us here have more than we could dream about a year ago but that has become grossly insufficient. I can't wrap my head around that.
I feel a strong sense of gratitude for all I have right now, which might seem quite insignificant but it is enough for me. And that fact that I did not have to ask or beg for it makes it a lot better.
I am not trying to be rich. I think the quality of the relationships I have compensates for all the money I don't have, so I don't care about it that much. Plus, making money is just a by-product of adding value to people's lives. So if you sort the important half of the puzzle the other part takes care of itself.
My life is simple and I have all I need to be happy. My happiness and fulfillment are not in the distant future. I am living the life I have always wanted, doing what I care about.
I feel empowered and I want other people in my sphere to experience the same because I know how dark it gets in this part of the world. A little light is all some people need and that might just be knowing where their next meal comes from.
I came here desperate for an opportunity--just to get enough to get by on a day-to-day basis because I could not dream of anything further than that, but I was given a shot. People took out of their time and resources to help me. I don't think giving other people the same luxury would be too much.