Over the past couple years I wrote about those who are dedicated to this ecosystem and seeing Steem through to success. Certainly we had a lot of bumps in the road although that is not uncommon with new technologies.
This was [followed up by a post] by 
For me, this idea is something that rang true for the past couple years. While all my eggs are not in one basket, I have a lot invested in Steem. Anyone who is on this platform regularly knows that when I say "invested", I am not only referring to the financial aspect of things.
Sure, I have some diversification. If Bitcoin hits $10M, I will be sitting pretty; $1M will leave me rather well off; $100K means I still need a job. There are other tokens I have a stake in which, if the bull ever hits in force, I could do very well.
However, nothing compares to Steem. Not only is there money on the line but I also have a great deal of emotion tied up into this. The hours upon hours spent researching this platform along with the mental effort to tie it all in together means I put a lot into this place. The idea of starting over elsewhere is completely insane to me at this point.
That does not mean, however, I am a blockchain maximalist. I love what is taking place here and believe the future is very bright. That said, I do not believe that Steem is the only game in town nor that it will be the only success. We are going to see a lot of projects explode, some of which we are not even aware of at this point.
What I can say is Steem is where I choose to spend my time and effort. The energy I put in here does not go to waste. I do feel that we are all in a position to influence where some things are going. Certainly, the entire platform might be beyond the reach of most of us. However, our involvement in the different tribes could prove to be of enormous impact. It is always prudent to remember the hardest time is starting out. Our actions today are laying the foundation for those who come tomorrow.
"Ride or Die" is a wonderful mindset to have. Many will say that is not the proper approach since it is best to not get emotional about investments. Even though I put some money into STEEM, I do not look at this as an investment. It is a lot more to me than that. The ability to help further the process of bringing Web 3.0 to fruition is what drives me. It is based upon the idea that we are all going to be examples for those who are arriving in down the road.
One of the unique characteristics about Steem is that this mindset is not unique. Many have the same attitude. In spite of the bear market, we are seeing developers who keep pounding away at code in an effort to bring out more applications for people to use. Some of the tribes are starting to find their way along a road map which can achieve powerful results. Even Steemit Inc is stepping up to the plate, completing the coding for both the RC Pool and SMTs.
It is easy to point to the numbers and show how small they are. Certainly, when looking at the totality of the Internet and, even, social media, Steem's numbers are basically a rounding error. What those stats do not quantify is passion and dedication. In this regard, Steem ranks very well.
How many people have that same attitude toward Twitter or Facebook? Sure, people spend hours on there but that is only because it is their social media venue. Take it away and, while disappointed, they would easily adapt. In fact, it would only take a few of their friends showing up elsewhere for the switch to be made.
Many on Steem have a different attitude. The mindset is not that of user but one of owner. Unlike an investment where one is best to lack emotion, a business is often where one puts his or her passion. The outlook is one of a willingness to make things grow and prosper. The time and effort, both physical and mental, is doing willingly. That is what springs from dedication.
It is easy to pull the plug on an investment. In fact, that is the smart thing to do. Professional investors will tell you that an exit strategy before getting involved is the best approach. If things go awry, pull the plug quickly and move on. Take the loss and forget about it.
A business owner has a much different outlook. Here, he or she is willing to keep going. Because of the ability to impact the results, efforts are made. Certainly, that are times that one is kicking the proverbial dead horse but many businesses resurrected from because of the efforts of a small group of people.
This is how I feel about Steem. "Ride or Die" to me means that I am going down with the ship (anyone who saw my videos knows why I can't do it with my hair on fire) if it comes to that. At this point, after being on here for two years and seeing the growth in development, there is no doubt in my mind that this ship is not going to sink. I am highly confident we are past the point where the iceberg can hit us. However, it things did turn in that direction, I would keep plugging along to help keep things afloat.
If one takes a look at many of the technological successes, the story is the same. The "Ride or Die" attitude was present within a small group of people. Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and even Tesla had not only a leader(s) but a "tribe" that was there in the early days because they believed in the vision.
I believe in the vision of Steem and the impact it can have on moving us into the next realm of the Internet. Humanity is sorely in need of some help and Steem (along with other blockchain projects) can provide part of the answer.
A lot is written about NewSteem and the changes are taking place. The reason I feel that Steem will be a raging success is because of OldSteem.
Regardless of the decrease in posts, comments, EIP, bit bots, and a host of other things that people address, there is one thing that remains constant. The people who have the "Ride or Die" attitude are not only still here, they proved that departing is not going to happen.
In other words, they keep showing up and pushing forward. If something does not work, they wake up the next day and try something else. Continual innovation and activity is brought to the table on a consistent basis in an effort to make things grow. In spite of frustration, negativity, and the feeling of ramming one's head into the wall, these people keep at it.
It is this attitude that I believe ensures the success of what is being formed here. There are enough people to "keep the thing going" until the world is ready to embrace Steem. I feel that moment could be upon us with the next Hard Fork, so the wait might not be that long.
However, regardless of the time frame, I know there are enough people on Steem with the "Ride or Die" mindset that we will keep going. No matter what the barriers, we will get up each day and work around them.
Progress might be slow but it will pay off in the end.
If you found this article informative, please give an upvote and resteem.
