STEEM is a digital currency that 
STEEMPOWER(SP) is a token symbolizing how influential you are inside the platform. If you got lots of SP, your votes counts more and will award different authors SP and Steem dollars. (credit 99bitcoins.com)
Now, as you give to authors (upvote), your curation rewards grow, and when your curation grows, you get a free steempower.
IN REAL LIFE: When you develop the act of giving and appreciating others, there is no way you won't grow or succeed in life as well as in steemit.
It marvels me how some people would just fold there hands and expect a success story. They stay idle, they don't give (no upvote), they don't give compliments (no comments or resteem), and they expect there reputations to be high or known/influential in the community (No Steempower). Even the rich at a point paid there dues, they gave and commended people for there work.
The lesson here is GIVE FREELY (upvote), COMMEND PEOPLES EFFORT (comments/resteem) and GET FREE STEEMPOWER (SP) without stress.
Compliments of the season.
