My Humble Advice to Those New to the Steemit Platform

The "Steemit" of today is very different from the one I signed up to back in July of 2016. I envision a specific time in this place when it was considered a brand new experimental shift in the social networking paradigm. Sure, there were a few political views hurled around even then, but the general consensus was one of awe and delight at the potential on offer here. As with anything "brand" new in life, those feeling of euphoria inevitably erode over time. People settle in and get used to the underlying environment and culture, with many various demographics "for" and "opposed" to issues pertaining to the overall running of the system. In our context, that was Steemit. And over time, political rhetoric has managed to rear it's ugly head in full effect, with several groups up in here citing their own strong systemic beliefs and ideologies. To those joining the platform as a newbie, one can easily get swallowed up by the vast oceans of opinions and heated debates. So, do you simply give in and leave, like so many in the past have? Or do you focus on the one aspect that can actually make a difference between being a failure or success on the Steem blockchain.

That being, yourself.

Firstly, it's important to have a firm understanding of the fundamental mechanics of the system itself. And one rule seems to override all others. Like it or not, the Steem token equates to power and influence. Once acceptance of that crucial fact has sunk in, all proceeding actions should fall into place. You see, I believe this was the creator's ideal scenario when the platform was being developed. Having numerous pockets of power, evenly distributed throughout the Steem eco-system (or as close as possible to) as a means to allow everyone a fair shot at "making it" here. Of course, this was all easier said than done as the human element within any context, always proves the most unpredictable and worrisome variable. Especially in regards to what is being built here. Now, as with any society, be in the digital world or the physical one, there was undoubtedly be some that end up being richer than others. In our case, the whales of the platform. And again, acceptance of this fact makes way for logical forward-thinking. Just let their own personal journey guide them to where ever their final destination may be. That's pretty much of no consequence to you, especially right at the start.

Steemit is still new and evolving. Voices will cry, holler, scream and shout. It's this middle ground "interference" that causes the biggest damage to the mindset of newbies. But it doesn't have to pre-determine your own path. Only if you let it. I reckon if you simply adhere to the strategy and vision Hive account@ned and Hive account@dan presumably had right from the start, there is a winning formula to be had somewhere in there. And, I feel, it begins with hoarding that precious Steem and networking with the right people. And when I say right people, I'm not referring to the whales of the platform. I mean Steemians in a similar position to yourself and with the same desire and dedication to establish a name for themselves. That's the approach I adopted when I first started out here on Steemit. Let others do as they may, whilst setting realistic goals and expectations for myself to be accomplished within certain time periods. A major problem is that many people look at other bigger accounts on here and instantly begin the "comparision" game. "How did they acquire so much? Why are they not voting for me? It's an unfair system!" All that adds up to is a demotivated state of mind that leaves you bitter and angry. I mean, you tell me how that helps "you" out? Remember this and always try to bear it in mind:

It's as simple as that. No one is stopping you buying more SP and gaining more influence here. No one is stopping you from voting or supporting any other Steemian out there. Which leads to my second and again, most crucial understanding, to success here. This is a "free market" system. People can do as they please and that is just the crux of it. Countless individuals have innumerable issues with what widespread rules should or should not be implemented into the system to save it from extinction. But at the end of the day, nobody knows what the future holds. Just reasoned and "free-thinking" arguments put forward for the beneficial improvement of the platform as a whole. Which is great, but detracts from the main objective as someone starting from scratch. Building and "not powering down" should be your sole focus. Even investing some funds to buy some Steem (if you absolutely believe in the heights this project can reach) makes a lot of sense. And consistently pushing until a time where you feel your "influence" or vote is worth enough to justify taking your foot off the pedal somewhat, is a great initial accomplishment. Don't listen to all the BS about bigger accounts getting a free ride to the top. I started with zero and knew nobody on the platform. All I had was a hell of a lot of belief and motivation to get as far up the ladder as I could. You think there weren't differing political views back then? Or it was a peaceful, serene utopia were everyone pleased everyone? suffice to say, I've pretty much seen and heard it all... And then some.

So, keep building your stake and network like crazy. If you need a jump start, seriously consider buying some Steem. After all, it's an investment into a coin at the end of the day, just like BTC, ETH or any of the other multitude of options out there. Except this one actually has a defined use-case. Help yourself in the begin and don't wait on others to provide that handout. In the long run, you'll feel all the better for it. Keeping your attention on the long-term objective is critical to you succeeding, either here on Steemit or any external project you pursue in life. And ask yourself this:

Hope you enjoyed this post, please look out for more on the way... (author: Hive account@ezzy)