When I first found out about Steemit through Amanda Rachwitz (check out her blog!) I was equal parts excited and skeptical about the whole thing. Then I made my first post and after 24 hours I was a believer. The post earned $715 dollars. I had never seen that kind of money from only an hour of work.

Just look at that happy capitalist! Look at how full of glee he is with his top hat, big collar, tailored suit and bundles of cash. That's how I felt.

My second post was a moderate success. Nothing that any accomplished Steem user would write home about, but I was still happy with another $40 after putting minimal effort into some web content.

When I made my third blog entry my confidence was slightly shaken. I had put far more effort into this post than my first two. I spent a lot of time curating a sample of images, GIFs and and videos from my animated work and wrote an article that I was relatively proud of. But after all that work, this is what I had to show for it:

Empty pockets. Like this poor, scrawny orphan boy... I had only made a few cents.

So What Does This Mean?

It means that effort is worthless. Let me repeat that in large, bold font so that the message isn't lost...

Effort is worthless.

...at least as far as the market is concerned. The free market doesn't care about how much work I put into a project. If there is no demand for the final product, it will have no value. This is what I found out the hard way.

Work has no objective value. My efforts will not be worth anything if I'm not creating something that people want or need.

But I'm not complaining. Without an outside force manipulating the market, value will always be subjective and it will be determined by those engaging with the market. And any of you who have followed my blog entries will know by now that I am not a fan of force, coercion, manipulation, especially in its most popular form - "government." So let's let the market do it's thing.

So What Can I Do?

Artists don't just have a passion to create, they want their creations to be seen. I want my work to be seen and enjoyed by a wide audience not just because I want the money, but because I want to fulfill my artistic passion.

There is no foolproof way to make it in the market. I am not a "whale". I am not some great success story. I don't have "10 tips to make it big on Steem."

However, I do know one simple simple guideline: Find a place where your great passion meets the world's great need. You don't need to sacrifice or compromise your goals and your passions in order to make a buck. You just need to learn how your passions can address something that the world is lacking and willing to value and consume.

I'm gonna end this post with a picture of what you might achieve if you're able to find that sweet spot.

But it can be more than just money. It's fulfillment. Just remember to find a place where your great passion meets the world's great need.

Cheers!

~Seth

All artwork was made by me for the sole purpose of this Steemit post.