Why some minnows remain the way they are

in life •  7 years ago  (edited)

As usual, I start off with a quote

Direction is so much important than speed, many are going nowhere fast

In my chat with @thecryptofiend yesterday, I realized something. So many people want to get to the top, become leaders and all that, but they forget one key step which is essential and this is first becoming a follower.
@thecryptofiend made me realize that so many whales we see today are simply enjoying the reward for their hardwork, loyalty and consistency. There was a time when then price of steem was dangerously below a dollar, yet, these whales stayed and built the vision from ground up.
Statement of the problem

Skipping a step

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Credit
So many people want to skip the first step, want to trend but they often forget it is one step at a time. Always being concerned about your inability to trend as a minnow in my opinion is a misplaced priority, as solely focusing on a trending page shows there might be issues with dedication to the vision.
What many people fail to understand is that steemit not only promotes creativity, but brain power, loyalty and patience.
The main mission should not be to trend immediately, should not be to pull in the big bucks, it should be to develop the vision.

Ask not what your country can do for you, rather what you can do for your country.

The country in this case is steemit.

Priorities

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CREDIT
Another major problem with minnows is some do not understand the value of priorities. We often perceive steemit in this order
Register-->Make cash-->Trend-->Build a following-->Make more cash-->Increase in reputation score
When in actuality it should be:
Register-->Understand the concept-->Build a following-->Increase in reputation score-->Support the community-->Make cash-->Trend
So the question is why are the minnows in a hurry to achieve in a day what took the whales over a year to achieve?

The thing most minnows fail to understand is, whales were once minnows too, they built each other up

Right now minnows do not want to build each other up, the don't want to follow each other because they believe the whales will make them whales instantly, so they resteem whales and overlook their fellow minnows. They upvote and comment in whale's posts and skip those of their fellow minnows.
Steemit is designed that votes, no matter the reputation score, are counted and those votes alone will get you to the top. Most whales won't resteem a minnow because they expect you to figure it out and earn your way to the top. But, on the other hand, a minnow will most like resteem a fellow minnow who resteems him and before you know it, you get more votes, higher chance of an increased reputation score, more following which means more recognition and cash after some time.

What is steemit to you075522-yellow-comment-bubbles-icon-alphanumeric-question-mark1-ps.png

Is it a money making venture? a get rich scheme venture? a way out of all your problems? Or a vision to be shared with others?
For a minnow to succeed, you have to answer this question truly.
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Don't forget to UPVOTExig67ak5T.gif RESTEEMxig67ak5T.gifFOLLOW@ehiboss on steemit for more
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Steemit is like a baby. You have to nurture and then it will grow to take care of you

you'll make a great parent with this mindset

Or a terrible one. Look at it go at the keyboard!

lol...we learn everyday

Ah :)))

deffo

I think it's part of this culture of instant gratification. Growing organically is hard work. It takes time and effort to post a good blog post, share a meaningful comment, grow your following. You get it though, and thanks for sharing.

Rome wasn't built in a day...time and patience is what some need.

Exactly

Very good article mate I'm very new to this never been on any social network site before only started because of Greg mannarino don't even know how to resteem yet and what's trending thanks mike

focus on helping the community as a whole first of all and post on what you love

I'm on here too due to Greg @marketwatch. Good luck!

Steemit will only take care of you as long as you take care of steemit....it takes a lot of hard work and determination and not giving up...if you set a goal for yourself then you just go for it. Do not become discouraged. Hard work ALWAYS pays off. Just give it your best every day..and then some more...just don't stop.

Thank you and brilliant remark

Let's see how you think after hf19..

elaborate

From what I gather is that votes will have a truer weight based on SP & VP. This I suppose, is intended to garner higher quality posts from content creators in addition to giving a User a more relative clout when voting on a post. If you search HF 19 there are many articles about it from quite a few witnesses.

There is voting power and there are total votes for reputation score. I believe that is the modus operandi

don't forget favoritism ism..

Very good advise. Thank you.

try to adhere

Will do.

okay

Congratulations @ehiboss!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following category:

  • Comments - Ranked 5 with 123 comments

Wow, what a honor

Hey man, great post! To me being on steemit is a way of challenging myself and proving that creativity is not spontaneous, but something that comes from hard work. I am also a visionary, and I hope that steemit will be the place where I can discuss interesting topics with other like-minded people. Also, we live in such a world that some extra cash would come in handy :)

Exactly, creativity is the key..

So, you're telling me my credit score should have three digits? ;o)

please elaborate

Upvoted, but on the other hand I don't want to be too critical of minnows.

Those of us with $1000 of Steem or more may be committed to the platform, it is hard to expect someone with $10 worth of Steem to be. I like "Ask not what your country can do for you, rather what you can do for your country." in our case, because Steem is not a centralized state, it really is a decentralized community, and commitment to the network benefits everyone with a significant investment. But still, most minnows do not have a significant investment.

To become invested in the first place, you will have to either put money in, or do work that larger stakeholders find worth rewarding. It is a kind of tiered society, where it takes work, money or existing social capital to break your way in.

When you have broken in, you will have more incentive and power yourself to try and help raise up those other minnows who are contributing value to the network.

thank you! useful comment!

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

thank you,perfectly said.

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

This the problem of our world, we want all right now, like fast food.

Exactly and we cannot get everything right away

Good article. Resteemed

Thank you...I will visit your log soon

A very wise perspective--Upvoted - we minnows have to stick together

Indeed we have to

So right on. I think I was a lucky guy to grasp the correct concept very early. Thumbs up and following!

lucky you....i pray they learn

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Don't we all? The road itself is the destination! :)

Great post. I agree we have to take a long-term approach to Steemit and be willing to put in the work. I also think that we need to recognize that things have changes since the site first launched. Initially, I thought that within a year,I would be able to achieve the same level of success as some of the whales had in the same timeframe. But being first in makes a huge difference -- higher risk, higher reward -- so I've adjusted my expectations. It might become a money making venture, but only with hard work and dedication as you've said.

@redhens, thank you, you get my point

wise words @ehiboss, we all must grow together

Thanks a lot bro...we must grow together.

Reallu inciteful post and some food for thought, many thanks.

I am humbled by this

It was such a good post, I think it probably answered a lot of peoples questions about what they are doing on Steemit, again thank you :-)

you are welcome

Yes, I like this post. Your true about your questions as I also did question myself for the reason I am being here on this platform. I totally support Steemit as read, share positive things in this community is by itself rewarding; if aside you are making some bucks out of it's an addition to the effort, respect and rewarding for your work. Top notch!

we really need to question ourselves

For me, it's all of those things

all as how?

Well, it's about getting my art out to new audiences as well as generating income. I also love supporting other people on the site. It's also about believing in Crypto and Steem.

The steemit dream is filled with endless possibilities beyond making a few bucks

I know, I'm just starting to see that now. It's awesome.

very good, keep it up

Good article, keep up the good work.

thank you

Great post, @ehiboss!

The main mission should not be to trend immediately, should not be to pull in the big bucks, it should be to develop the vision.

I couldn't agree more. Many people forget about the fact that blogging is hard work. It needs a lot of time and effort, a lot of commitment and (especially) passion.

Here's one of my favorite quotes in that context:
Money follows passion. Not the other way around." - David Siteman Garland

@surfermarly, good to hear from you, lovely quote. I will read up on the author of that quote

Thanks @ehiboss, I'm glad you liked it!
Have a pleasant weekend.

Good article. Resteemed.

Thank you

Great article for someone new here like me. As with starting a business, it's important to develop a long term vision and work at it day by day not looking for just short term gains, which could actually be more harmful in the long run!

straight to the point!

Great post, it all makes sense, we must all 'pay our dues' so to speak and not expect to skip steps on the way to greatness. Thank you for posting.

thank you for reading.

Great perspective. Resteemed, upvoted, following.

thank you...followed back

Thanks for the post. I have been taking my time studying the concept here at Steemit.

you'll get it eventually

Thank you for the tips! I want to bring writers together in an Short-Story Writing Experiment > https://steemit.com/short-story/@arbutus/the-short-story-block-chain-experiment

inbox me at steemit.chat (@ehiboss)

For me, Steemit is an outlet for creativity that's been lacking in my life.

I spent 20+ years solving problems, figuring out and overcoming challenges and developing concepts into material, functional things that people found valuable.

That's not available any more in the form it used to be, so I've started doing this.

If I can use it to pay some bills in the future, that's great.

Persevere and you'll achieve. Creativity is the key

Creativity is my curse, I might as well make lemonade. ;-)

Its a gift

One man's gift... ;-)

It is good to remind people that everyone starts at the bottom and to get to the top typically requires working at it.

"Right now minnows do not want to build each other up, the don't want to follow each other because they believe the whales will make them whales instantly, so they resteem whales and overlook their fellow minnows." So fucking true. Personally, I grow up (the little I've grow up) in the community with minnows and interacting in many post, not just whale's post in it has wroked for me. Good article.

Thanks, I value this

Great article.
I think it's important as a new user to continue to try new things while you build your reputation.
I'm quickly approaching 2 weeks here, I've got up to a reputation of 50 and really close to my 1st 200 followers.
I've been engaging with users as well as creating content.
I think perseverance is also key.
I've made content that hasn't landed any traction yet, but I have no intention of giving up on that content either... By sticking with it, I feel I have a better chance of it building a following later down the road.
If you're looking for someone new to follow that believes in the system and will continue to help build the community, then come check out my content and give me a follow.
I'm always looking for good content creators as well, so if you can recommend people for me to follow I'd appreciate that as well.
Steem on!
Upvoted and followed

Jonny,
You and I have very similar accounts in terms of length of use and size of following. I followed your blog to support those who have the right approach to joining this platform and the proper attitude. It's a big ocean and not about just following whales.

Thanks for the support.
I've followed you as well.
I've only been here two weeks and I gotta say it's the best platform I've ever had the honor to join.
I'm going to stick with my content I've started, keep building my followers and keep discovering all the amazing content on here.
Steem on brother!

SteemOn

thanks so much for this piece of info

That is very good..keep it up

deserve upvote and resteem...

Great post! Followed

thank you

You make good points here. A nice exercise is whenever you start getting jealous about a successful post, look at the poster's profile - they usually have thousands of posts and many hundreds of followers. puts it into perspective.

thank you

Thanks for sharing this post. Upvoted.

appreciated

You're welcome.

For each of us Steemit is a seed - we've planted it but now we have to water it, nurture it and feed it. After persistence and patience it will eventually bear fruit. Thanks @ehiboss. I'm following you...

well said, oh! and following you back

now you are talking!

my teacher, thank you

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Thanks everyone, I just upvoted and followed everyone for their beautiful comments...we have to stick together

good post, It's actually the only way to move forward, don't stop and don't wish for things to be different, I built up all I have, stared with 5 steem, and spent probably 4 months before my first curation reward. @kus-knee being one of the most prominent figures with his great posts and bones here and there :) It's a different story when you have a different perspective. I've learned more and interacted with more people than I could i the previous years in all "social" media combined. Most people here do care and yes they have to keep their own projects/blogs going so they can't stay next to you or upvote you every day, but they will always be there when you ask :)

Thank you. good to know, but the message remains we should help others

Thank you. I am still here --->Understand the concept-->its a lot. I get it then I don't. I'm trying to find away for my brain to catch on to find my niche on whats best for the both of us. I don't want to be known as Spamy. To be honest I find myself here uhem a lot and not being productive as I'd wish to be here or outside.

the truth is in three words "CREATIVITY and PRODUCTIVITY"....hope it helps

Thank you! Let me go think while being productive by mowing the yard. For some reason it helps. 😃

I swear, it's the truth

thank you

Awesome advice. New here last week and I have learned that engagement is the key. Create good content and ENGAGE. Support each other. Build your following and interact with them.

Resteemed 👍

Thank you...I pray our words make a difference

Today is my first day and your blog has made the most sense so far.971174_10202729218324741_1208931128_n.jpg

I am humbled, lovely picture by the way.

thank you

I am getting used to allocating a few hours of my time to Steemit every day to interact with such an interesting and diverse bunch of people, many with the same goals in mind. Is it that Steemit is an alternative to the fake news mainstream media, or is it that we all want to make a positive difference to each others lives and to the world ? All of the above for me.

I allocatw roughly 10-11 hours on steemit, reading, learning, voting, comnenting and posting

It all sounds good and I like using STEEMIT, but I don't think it is as simple as you describe because the upvoting POWER resides with the whales who for the most part are the founders and friends of founders with multiple accounts. If my research is correct as a group the top 200 whales STEEM down about $2 mil a week. I don't begrudge them a penny but think EVERYONE should decide who gets rewarded.

Its money you are looking at. However, there was a time the whales earned pennies too...

There is a time for everything.

Like I said, what is steemit to you?

well stated.
upvoted resteemed
namaste

wow...thank you, namaste

This is so inspiring. Now, I have something to share with my friends that I invited to join on steemit. Thank you! Thank you for this!

share with them...feel free

You are exactly right. There are who think too much of the reward and forgot to think that it require hardships. We cant just go into the field and expect something better without doing a thing.

Followed you.

Am honored

https://steemit.com/story/@j3dy/having-fun-on-steemit-c30-d3-week-recap-work

feel free to support this minnow :D it's an old post, but I like to relink back to them when they are relevant and on another hand I get to review my own work and get back on "track" although , where are my 15k payouts :D

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

any advise for everyone?

learn, adapt, and overcome :) it's a bit soldiery but it's how things get done, don't complain, don't wish for something, make the best you can and don't expect anything in return, the road is the goal not the summit. Learn, grow and develop yourself, that is the only stability you can expect. Once you have enough to share do so, a solid foundation will help you build up, but it's better when there are more people around. Make sure you don't make assumptions, always revise and refine :)

So advise for everyone for what? because that matters :D the topic is important. If it's for steem, interact and form communities, help each other and share the growth, steem is free, so be free, don't get caught up in bullshit and don't cause it. It's much more fun to learn, study, grow, connect, share, meet than it is to prove your point and be the "winner"

or you can have millions and only vote, not talk with anybody and pump dump coins on markets :) that's a good choice too :D

I'm not sure what to say, success never was a goal for me I know the costs :) and it's harder to remain successful since you have to protect your investments.

I do wish that there is more cooperation and spread for everyone, rather than strive to be first and have more and more and more.

I do tend to talk too much, hope it's not irrelevant to the topic.

Chill out, have fun is the advice for everyone. and give me your steem :D of course :)

hahah :) TIL http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=greb be a good guy greb :D

Great advice buddy! Thank you!

You are welcome

I am honored...

to me, it is way out of all my problems :)

Yap!! You got that right 😌

lol

I always loved "wacky" underground stuff 😜 Just having lots of good times here and not taking every little drama so serious. I look at my wallet and smile.

nice and simple, that's the way to live life.

I first started Steemit about 9 months ago. About the same time, I also started to share my creative work at Niume and Instagram. I loved all three platforms ~ But time. 😊

I love to give something new all I've got, 'go with the flow' and then see what happens.

An IG: I was able to attract a fantastic 'creative tribe' and established a genuine rapport with many there.
At Nuime: I love the layout of one's page, which works particularly well for artists/photographers with original art. However where my images attracted many 'views' there wasn't much in the way of interaction.
At Steemit: After 'life' and my creative work took me away for about 7 months, I've returned with even more enthusiasm for being involved with this community. In the past 24 days I've connected with a few 'kindred spirits' that I absolutely love sharing with and can feel the bounds of my own creativity expanding through some of the interactions I'm having with @thereikiforest @kalemandra @barbara-orenya, @woman-onthe-wing and several others.

I love cryptocurrency but such a 'grasshopper' ~ So I'm also here to learn more about this world as well.

I love following trails here at Steemit. For instance, I've been participating in @kalemandra's ColorChallenge for a few weeks and this morning an image by @irreverent-dan caught my attention. Viewing his posts, I came across your article and voila ~ Here I am talking to you.

My focus is both showcasing my own work in the best way I can, and ultimately showing others, particularly 'creatives' that it IS possible to earn some sort of income online by sharing their work.

Anything worthwhile usually does takes time and commitment and trust. So I'll always encourage people to do whatever they do, with a heart that's true. Trusting in your own heart's direction ~ Allows the Universe to work miracles in your life. 🙏💗🙏

thank you so much for this precious post @ehiboss I just opened my account a few days ago and posted my first post yesterday. The main question that I'm asking myself is truly what can I bring to this community? it is not easy to have clarity on that at first.. but i guess after a few post we start to refine that vision so the boat has a direction and is not wandering around... I feel the connexion with this group of link minded people, willing to transform social media, willing to change the way we make money, to change the way we connect between each others, a whole new paradigm... such an inspiring project this steemit thing! thank you again for your post, I will go straight to work on my vision and priorities as for me, vision gives purpose...and nothing can stop my growth when I have purpose...purpose and vision are the fuel to my determination, patience and effort...without them, if it's just for the money, I don't get very far and get discouraged so quickly.. I wish you a beautiful day

Thanks for the great advice! But I get this queasy feeling whenever I read the terms whales and minnows... I know there has to be some distinctions on levels and whatnot. Those labels may be causing some unnecessary pressure.. why can't we all just be 'steemians'?

As I said, good advice, maybe for those who have plans of making it big. But what if, just what if a 'winnow' doesn't care about being 'just' a 'winnow'? What if he or she just enjoys steemit as a content-rich social media platform? Also this poses a question which maybe some have already asked... do people really just sign up in steemit for hopes of making money? Not trying to stir up a controversy.. simply offering a perspective.

Thanks!!

Thanks so much for this insightful look at how Steem works, I hope this will enable all minnows to grow together.

Nice post. I like it a lot.

What do you mean by "make cash --> Trend"? As in, you should/would/could create your own trend?