Is Steemit For You?

First of all Happy 500 Followers to me! Six months have passed, and it has been a tupsy turvy ride in steemit. At times you see me, at times you don't. There were times I get to interact with people, other times I'm just a silent observer.

Since I'm at my sixth month at this platform. I wanted to touch a very sensitive topic. I have been reading and reacting to post similar to this topic, for many times now. And I feel the need to talk about it.

We all need to ask an important question, once we get inside this community. Is Steemit for me? You and I, have been drawn in to this platform with one main reason- TO EARN. I wouldn't be hypocrite to tell you I signed up, just right after I learned about this from a you tube video. Without anything, and without no one as in nada, I dive in. No one showed me the way, I learned it hard, I studied on my own. Each question I have in mind, I tried to find the answers. I don't know chat nor discord back then. It is just me and my quest to thrive here.

Looking back, it has been six months and it seems a lot has happened already. It is getting harder and tougher to make your way up, as hundreds of thousands are coming in on a regular basis. Unfortunately, a lot of them came and never stayed. Why?

STEEMIT ISN'T FACEBOOK
It might be good to say that this is a social media like Facebook, but deep inside it isn't. Steemit is a blog site, similar to WordPress and Blogspot, which are the top free blog sites therein. Blog sites are meant to be more educational, and personal. It used to be your online diary where you put your thoughts, opinions and feelings towards someone or something. This is not a place where you only post random pictures with a sentence or two, just like we used to do on Facebook.

THIS IS NOT A RICH QUICK SCHEME
I hope I can say that we can be rich here, maybe we can, maybe we can't. If we do, it takes a lot of hard work, effort and time to dedicate in this platform. Yes, we earn rewards in $ but these days it is harder,unless you make friends with whales, or you invest your own money. Reality bites, but this is what happens. If you don't have both like I do, it is double effort to survive.

FIND YOUR NICHE
We all have something we are passionate about, talk about it. Do not post anything under the sun, that you cannot explain. Please do not post something you just get somewhere, and revised it a little so as not to look like the same article. Most of the time, the contents become too technical, readers may not understand. Be sure that you, first and foremost understand your post. And know how to explain it in simpler terms. We have cultural and language barrier, so it is best to make your post simplier to read and comprehend. Because at the end of the day it is not the highfalutin words that the readers will remember. It is the post that touched their lives that matter. You see, we all need to find our niche, because it is in this contribution that we might be able to change someone's life.

KNOW YOUR PURPOSE
We all have purpose in life. And in everything we do, we have motives on why we are doing it. These purpose will paved the way to the action we are going to take. Are you in for the money? Are you in for making friends? Are you in to impart knowledge? Are you in just because someone invited you even without knowing what is it about? Or maybe you still don't know what you are doing here? You may have the answer to one of these questions or have the answers for all. No matter what your response is, what truly holds dear is your action, towards your purpose. It is what drives you to attain what you intend to become.

LEARN MORE

Formal education will make you a living, self-education will make you a fortune.

This is an opportunity to learn new things. Many authors are great in their chosen niche- food, travel, crypto currency, fitness, photography and many others. Look for something you are passionate about and learn more from them. The same way, we need to self study. We may have gone out of college but it isn't the end. There are a lot more things to learn outside school, that universities never really teach. We need to get to hold on to these vast information, and learn how it can make our lives better.

STEEMIT IS A QUEST FOR SURVIVAL

Much like our own lives, steemit is also a game of survival. Many come and go, like what I have read in one post the retention rate of steemit is only 12% as compared to Facebook and Instagram. It is our duty to invite to help the community grow, we are disciples of steemit to the rest of the world. But please it is also our responsibility to invite people whom we know can contribute a lot to the community. Let's not make this a networking site, just for us to get a lot of up votes. If we want to make the community stay, get people who will help steemit grow. If you can't, educate the people you invited first so they will know what to do and hopefully stays. Think about this, if you can invite only one person you think can make it big here because of his skills. I believe it is far beneficial for you as you have build- a- whale.

At first, you may not get anything. But do not be disheartened, all of us have been in that place. Keep moving on, write with passion. Believe that one day people will get to like what you write. If you are here for the money, there are many ways to earn. You only need to find what is suitable for you. If you are here to make friends, there are a lot of discord channels to meet people. You also might get up votes and notice there. Lastly, when all things failed. BELIEVE, "believe that you can do all things in Christ". Believe in yourself, no one will believe or trust that you can make it, unless you do. If you have to fake it then do! Just believe in the power of your BELIEF.

Some things to contemplate on. It is either we make it or break it. The important thing is we tried. In steemit, I believe it is not in the numbers that we will thrive better, but in retaining people to contribute to humanity. By posting quality contents that educates and changes someone's life for the better. We will be far more valuable than Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. The value of steem and steem dollars will rise to the same value we create. So, keep on Steemin'

To my followers, I may not know you or have visited your page but please I want to let you know that I am truly grateful that you have been a part of my steemit journey. Special thanks to Hive account@zararina, who were one of the first to comment and upvote my post. It means a lot to me. Special shout out to Hive account@surpassinggoogle, who was among the first as well, to comment on my very first post. I didn't know who you were in steemit, until recently. I haven't had the chance to chit chat with you, but I'm glad that once in a while you still get to read my post. The upvotes where highly appreciated :) but what matters most, is that amongst the thousands you look after, you still get to spend a little time to check on us, and for that Thank You!

Disclaimer : These are my own observations and opinions only. You may or may not agree with me. You are free to react as well. Thank you