¿How does someome like me succeed on steemit?

This is something I keep asking myself. I want to participate but really don't know how to get anywhere. I started with a few simple reddit style threads which got little or no notice. Then I tried doing an article on a site I like. It got 8 up votes and only 1 reply. Got pretty discouraged by that. Replied to some threads and was about to give on on steemit entirely until a friend got me to try again. Went back to doing a few small reddit style things or questions type posts. Of course nothing but didn't' really expect much. Well maybe on one about flagging of posts. It didn't' get much notice but others like it that came after it did so guess it was bad timing. My next move was to make a meme. Put quite a bit of thought into it, took some time and came up with what I thought was something good. People I know liked it almost no one else did. It ended up with 12 votes and 4 replies. Quick post about Bitterx opening ETC trading that took 15 seconds got just as much attention. Next step was some whale humor just for the heck of it. Put some time hoping it would get at least some attention but again almost nothing, Finally yesterday I did a serious post. Put quite a bit of though into it. Had that feeling of success when I checked 20 minutes later and it had over 40 votes. Those hopes were quickly dashed when I realized most were bots going for curation rewards. Adding insult to injury someone took my idea and rewrote it. Their thread took off and made over $500 while mine just stagnated and died. It was pretty darn depressing to see that happen.

So how can someone like me get anywhere on Steemit? I'm not a writer, not a photographer, and not into making video. I'm from a small boring city where there isn't anything to talk about. I don't travel. Don't know many people. The only interesting things in my life I don't want public in the first place. I can't even do an introduce yourself post because I don't have any pics of myself after 1999 and even if I did I wouldn't want them on the internet. About the only thing I am good at is helping other people with stuff and doing that around here gets no attention or votes. Even voting for others is kind of useless with no steem power and I can't afford to buy any.

What can the average person like me do to succeed on Steemit? It seems like the content I am interested in is either frowned upon for not being original or no one is interested. When you see all your friends succeeding and your not it's kind of like being the kid left out of the game on the playground. Was I right the first time that Steemit just isn't a place for someone like me? How many others out there feel this way?

By: @fubar-bdhr: https://steemit.com/steemit/@fubar-bdhr/how-does-someome-like-me-succeed-on-steemit