Why do you Steemit? If you asked me that question the day I started and then again at the end of each month that I've been active here, the answer would've been different. I have reached 90 days of active steeming and finally see Steemit in a clearer focus.
I Steemit to clear my mind. To write about what is on my mind at the moment or about something I recently read, which I feel needs attention drawn to it. I Steemit to read some funny blogs, travel blogs, crypto blogs and life blogs. In short, it's really Social Media in Blog Form. I find it more real and engaging then I did on Twitter. And guess what, occasionally you can make a few bucks.
In the first 45 days of my Steemit adventure, I was certain that I would "Crack the Code" on how to be a high earning Steemian. I was trying to find a niche that would gain momentum and shower rewards all over my wallet. I thought that by writing quality content, twice daily, every day was going to have me swimming with the whales & dolphins and that this was going to be my new career.
Early on I had a couple of high payout blogs that made me think that I was on to something here. Those early successes I equate to housewarming gifts from new neighbors. There are reasons that curation trails like 
Unfortunately, after you have been "rewarded" with a couple big posts, your reputation score naturally rises above the threshold to be included in certain curation trails. This is where the "LULL" begins. You are now a relatively small fish that is swimming alone in a big pond. What happens next to your account is completely up to you. The training wheels are off and it's just you and your brand.
In an effort to draw more eyeballs to my content, I was employing all of the paid post-promotion accounts to boost my phantom earnings, so that others would see value in upvoting my content. I was using:
After a new post of mine had been run through the gauntlet of paid post-promotion services, I would look back and think about all the money I had spent to get the rewards up to $7-$10 and realize that via actual real upvotes, my post may have only earned $1.50. The rest was all fluff, paid for fluffery. Then you factor in the 25% cut of rewards to the curators and I could see I was barely breaking even on my Paid Fluffery.
It's been nearly a week since I stopped buying rewards. I can see the coming rewards payouts are smaller in the upcoming days, but I also didn't shell out a ton of SBD to attain them. I also feel much cleaner. Buying rewards made me feel dirty and like a bit of a failure.
I have finally given in, Steemit is not about the rewards, getting rich quick, it's about the community. Once you can get past the want to be popular, you may start to enjoy the platform more, I know that I do. Don't try and be someone you are not, writing about subjects that you feel others may like, the reek of insincerity will be palpable and nobody will read it.
Be yourself. Write about what interests you. Engage others that write about your favorite topics. In other words, settle in and make yourself at home. You will find some like-minded people who support you in your journey here on Steemit, that is, if you are genuine in what you write in your blog.
Steemit, in the end, is Social Media in Blog Form! Forget about the rewards and enjoy the platform for what it is. You may even make some lunch money.