Spend a few weeks here on Steemit researching the successful ones and you'll quickly realize the truth: you have to earn it.
With that being the case, there's a reason why minnows lose their way, and in my opinion, a lot of that has to do with their mindset.
Do you truly want to go full time on Steemit?
Well, then let's start by getting your mind there...
If you were the sole owner of Steemit, how differently would you operate whenever you logged onto the site?
Would you place more time and care when crafting posts?
Would you engage with other Steemians more frequently?
Would you seek to add as much value as possible to the platform?
If you owned Steemit then it’s very likely that your answers to all of these questions would be a solid YES, right?
There is a different level of responsibility that we naturally take on when own something, isn’t there?
And when we invest the proper amount of time and energy into our responsibilities, we tend to reap the benefits in the long haul.
Would you agree?
We all own a piece of the pie and the bigger that pie grows, the more we directly benefit from it.
Thus, the more value (time and energy) we place into Steemit, the more value we get back in return.
It’s easy to forget this fact, but it’s the absolute truth.
I've personally found that whenever I operate as an owner, I tend to behave more productively, intelligently, creatively, and mindfully while I’m on Steemit.
This not only adds a ton of value to Steemit itself, but also to myself as the quality of my experience dramatically improves.
And as a added bonus, my reputation, following, and the size of my Steemit wallet all increase as a result of my focus on adding value.
As I give more value, I am also valued as a result of what I am putting out into the world.
When you login to Steemit, remember to operate as though you own it, because you do, and that reminder can make the difference between a good experience... and a great one.
If you've ever spent any amount of time on YouTube or Facebook, it becomes quickly obvious: the market is oversaturated and you have to pay to play.
There's an incredible amount of information on these platforms and getting noticed becomes an incredibly difficult and competitive task.
Thankfully, we've got an abundance of opportunity here on Steemit.
With much room to grow, this platform offers a space for you to distinguish yourself as a leader or authority in the content of your choosing.
Right now it's easier than ever to get noticed, remembered, and to collaborate and grow with other thriving Steemians.
I've already provided a variety of ideas, tips, and strategies regarding branding and building a consistent stream of content in Part I of this series, all you have to do is execute.
Do this every day for the next year and you will be very happy you did.
Claim your Steemit space now!
It's yours for the taking (if you want it.)
Remember when the world thought that running a four minute mile was nearly impossible?
Then in 1954, Roger Bannister did just that - and what happened shortly after that?
Another runner did it, then another, and another...
Soon enough, years later, a four minute mile was considered the standard.
Here's just a few times from a 1500m men's heat. Although a mile is 1600 meters, with most of these times we can assume that these runners would have been under four minutes for the full 1600.
Long story short, once one guy did it - and as a result - so did the rest.
Hence, once one minnow goes full time in your social network, it's only a matter of time...
Anything is possible - let's prove to the world that it truly is!
For you understand that by adding value to the platform, you are not only improving Steemit, but you are also improving your standing on Steemit.
Posting great content and comments ultimately lead to more followers, resteems, and upvotes.
The more value you provide up front, the more value you get back in return.
That's a basic concept that applies to all of life and Steemit is no different.
After experimenting with a variety of different types of posts, I've found that there are specific types of posts that are more valued than others on Steemit.
The more I've become aware of the content that this community values, the more I've noticed my content literally go up in value.
With that being said, lets explore what content brings value here on Steemit.
Most of us are aware that in order to really grow as creators on Steemit, we need to attract a whale’s attention every once in a while.
Although there is most definitely a percentage of luck that is involved with receiving a whale’s upvote, there is also definite characteristics that attract a whale’s upvote.
Within the past two months, I’ve created three posts that received significant upvotes from various whales.
Each of these posts were significantly different from each other, but also demonstrated a specific type of content that I believe is valued by a whale.
What kind of content attracts a whale?
Thus far, I’ve identified three types of content:
The most obvious kind is the type that adds direct value and excitement to Steemit as a platform itself.
For instance, last week I created a post entitled “What Would A Steemit School Look like?” in which I shared a theoretical concept regarding how we could implement Steemit into the classroom.
This idea is obviously promoting Steemit and adds direct value to the the platform simply by imagining Steemit’s role in the future.
Why would a whale find value in this type of post?
Simply put, if you had a significant amount of money invested in a platform, would you want to encourage people to promote it?
Of course you would!
Steemit-positive posts that creatively and meaningfully add value to the platform tend to attract upvotes from whales.
You know what’s way more interesting than talking about something?
Actually doing it.
Why do we watch documentaries?
It’s usually because someone did something that’s fascinating or thought-provoking, thus we are willing to exchange our time to learn about that experience.
In December, I made a commitment to vlog for seven days straight via my Cycle Up project.
After vlogging for seven days, I created a post that documented my experiences and what I learned along the way.
This wasn’t a post that I just thought of last minute…
I spent a week to plan the project, another week to execute the project, and another day or two to write out the actual post.
The post was a clear reflection of the time and effort I had placed into this experience and I was lucky enough to attract a whales thoughtful upvote along the way.
Take action and you will be rewarded for it.
On Steemit, the concept of community is of high importance.
As a blockchain platform, one of our ultimate goals is to merge our virtual community with the physical community, which we would call adoption.
I’ve noticed that Steemians who frequently share about experiences in their own local communities tend to get a lot of attention, not only from the Steemit community at large, but also whales.
Why is this?
For one, it’s interesting. Users on Steemit are from all over the world.
The ability to explore other cultures via a social network is often highly valued, as you get a sense of traveling without traveling.
Alongside that, people who are interacting with their local community are also more likely to bring Steemit and blockchain based systems into their local communities.
This past Christmas, my brother and I dress up as elves and pranced through various stores and shopping centers, simply to bring a smile to people’s faces, especially to those who were working on Christmas day!
This post was well received and again, attracted another generous upvote from a whale.
If you want to gain attention on Steemit or from a whale, go out and engage with your community in creative ways. It’s a sure fire way to get noticed in more ways than one!
As we said earlier, content that directly references Steemit and improves the system as a whole is most definitely valued here.
Can you remember the first week you were on Steemit?
Were you confused at all?
Uh huh, me too.
There’s an incredible amount of things to know in order to operate successfully on Steemit.
That’s exactly why Steemit guides or any form of advice tends to be of great value to Steemians.
Not everyone has the time or patience to read the fine print and understand the details.
Thankfully, that means there’s always a need for this type of content.
Here’s an example of a plethora of valuable content shared by 
I paid thousands of dollars to attend undergraduate and graduate school but the most valuable knowledge that I still utilize today was free and came from YouTube.
If you’re from the United States, you’re likely very aware of this: education is often either overpriced or undervalued.
The internet brought us an amazing opportunity to educate ourselves and others for free, by simply sharing what we know with others.
This becomes a major win win on Steemit as those who benefit from your teachings can directly tip you for sharing that knowledge.
Do you know something of practical use?
Begin sharing those things and you’ll not only have a plethora of ideas to share, but you’ll also be rewarded for it.
You know what’s inspiring?
When you see a small idea begin to gain traction in the real world.
You know what’s highly valuable?
Ideas that bring Steemit into the real world.
It’s one thing to consistently utilize this platform, and it’s another thing to bring it to your local community.
Being such an incredibly new technology, there’s a wealth of concepts and ideas that have yet to be explored.
I’m currently in the process of creating Austin's first blockchain-based improv class.
Students will receive upvotes for attending, participating, and sharing their experiences.
We’ll be utilizing Steemit as a technology to increase attendance, engagement, and to teach my local community about the possibilities of cryptocurrency within the realms of education.
I’ll share more details on this in the future, but this is just a simple concept that adds value to the community and inspires others to do the same!
If you are creating a real world project, be sure to check out the 
By teaming up with
I've seen a variety of Steemit projects rocket into action through the support of this community-based incubator.
Are you a developer?
Do you see a problem that could be resolved with a creative solution?
Create that solution and share that progress along the way.
Steemians reward developers handsomely.
Total bummer right?
Wrong!
Recently I attended a virtual meetup with the 
You don't need to be a developer to develop things off of the Steemit blockchain...
In fact, it's much easier than I could ever imagine.
Come up with a concept, write out the functionality you need, post it on github and invite 
If your idea has a community backing and/or attracts a developers interest, you’ve just opened up a world of possibilities for yourself.
No coding knowledge required!
After re-reading this post, it's become pretty clear to me that the more you place your intention and attention on bringing real value to the Steemit platform, the more you will see that value come right back to you.
Bottom line, going full time on Steemit in a world that has yet to even adopt cryptocurrency, let alone a platform that runs off of cryptocurrency, is no easy task.
It requires a mindset of ownership to take true responsibility for one's actions...
Commitment to be one of the first movers on Steemit and claim your desired space...
And an absolute belief that it is possible, as if you can do it, you will naturally inspire the world too as well.
There's so many different ways that we can bring value to Steemit, and luckily for us, most of those ways are quite interesting, engaging, and exciting ways to pass time.
No longer do we live in a world of static repetition and regurgitation.
The world wants to engage!
To grow in new ways!
To be inspired by new approaches, ideas, and inventions!
On Steemit, we have an opportunity to receive direct value for doing all of that.
Will you choose to go full time?
Stay tuned for Part III where I will share my thoughts and plans for time management, useful Steemit plugins and analytical tools, things you should avoid, and my daily action plan.
Signing out for now...
@axios
@axios All photo credits can be found by clicking on the picture
