If I were to start on Steem from scratch

I have been here for two years in January and one of the common things I have heard is, "You don't know what it is like now" and often followed up with, "if you were to start an account and not use any of your contacts..."

The problem is that this "experiment" is impossible because my contacts would recognize my content pretty fast. Or, do the conditions mean I have to shitpost? Memes? Forget what I know about the place?

Honestly, I don't think I could do what I have done again here starting now. It is not that it is impossible, I just don't have the energy to do it all again. However, if I knew what I do now and was to start from scratch, 2 years from now I predict that I would be in a similar position to what I am now. Steem-wise I would likely have a fair amount less because of various price reasons and luck reasons but, I would also be utilizing approaches that didn't exist when I started too. This means that I wouldn't be in the same position of stake but, I would likely be in a similar role.

Things I would do differently:

 

• It took me seven months to join my first chatroom. Seven.
• It took me over 4 months to start learning the system at even a basic level
• Use the SteemApps to post on, likely with an alt account
• Join / Start some initiatives
• Get an app idea or two developed
• Be part of more communities
• Learn about trading faster

Things I would do similarly for the next two years:

 

• work as hard on my content as I do now and have done all this time
• spend time getting to know people because, there are some great people here
• learn as much as I can and spend time writing about the platform
• answer comments and reward them with what I can
• don't shill but don't be negative because I don't get my way
• argue without getting overly emotional
• listen a lot to people and investigate
• be very curious about many things
• help people when possible but within reason
• find long-term thinkers and players and support them
• do not be a bleeding heart for every sad story
• never get used to any level of support as things change quickly
• do not delegate until I can continue supporting mine and other's growth
• post several times a day quality and often useful content
• keep up to date with change / release information
• understand as many of the factors that influence me
• engage as much as possible with people who know stuff
• help people learn when they ask as it helps me learn
• speak up on topics of importance
• take some risks with content and position
• build a valuable network of trusted people I consider friends
• engage with a wide selection of accounts
• comment a lot and don't leave them hanging too long
• use my stake to support people more than content
• be generous but not at the expense of overall personal growth
• trust myself and my decisions
• give things time to play-out and settle before condemning
• stay calm despite the fears of loss or change
• keep an eye out for opportunity
• make suggestions that benefit as many as possible
• focus on content, community, engagement instead of reward
• be serious but have a joke at times at the expense of me and those I trust
• keep personal conflicts off chain
• learn about witnesses, who they are and what they do
• ask a lot of questions from trusted sources
• think long-term when it comes to price
• treasure every STEEM as if it is worth 100+ dollars
• identify and watch people who are healthy actors
• identify and watch people who are unhealthy actors
• don't ask for unreasonable favors from people
• don't link drop unless there is a relationship and it is relevant to them
• never link drop own work for votes
• be in a position of trust
• do not break someone's trust
• do not expect anything from anyone
• break expectations consistently
• never carry personal arguments onto the blockchain
• find a personal style
• experiment with many styles and content types
• enjoy writing or don't write
• bounce content off other people's ideas
• do not tag people unnecessarily
• play own game without worrying too much about others
• stay away from Trending unless for research purposes
• convert and power up the majority of earnings no matter the amount
• understand that this is a community and be a part of it
• see this opportunity as a golden ticket to financial freedom
• see this opportunity as much more than financial freedom
• understand that current conditions can change
• understand that the past is never coming back
• understand that experiments and changes can go wrong
• understand that whether good or bad, nothing is permanent
• be consistent in quality and even-tempered
• care about the future, act in the present
• work as hard and as much as time and energy will allow each day
• DON'T BE A DICK
   

I am sure there are more I could add to the list, I am sure that there are some people won't agree with and everyone has to find their own path here, but people also need to understand that none of it is easy and whether one started in 2016 or tomorrow, opportunities like this are rare and are easy to lose of one squanders their position.

The biggest problem most people have is that they hold expectations of the way it is meant to be without spending time on the way it actually is. From this position, they look at others believing they know how and what they did to get to where they are and presume themselves correct. Just because one isn't willing to do a mass of work, doesn't mean no one is.

I have been lucky to meet some of the people I have and lucky to get some of the support I have but, I have also taken the approach that no matter what comes, my work is always deserving of a vote in at least my eyes. If I wouldn't vote on it if it was from someone else, why would I expect anyone to vote on it because it was from me?

Some people get support easier than others, some have to do more work than others, some are more skilled than others, some have content that are in demand, some have a lovely personality. The thing is that we all have personal resources available to us and it is up to us as individuals to use them as we choose. Some use them more effectively than others, some waste masses of potential. At the end of the day though, it is us as an individual who must live in our personal experience.

I would rather have a terrible experience from trying and failing than living a terrible experience wondering what could have been if I had given it my all.

Waste it or not, love it or not. Your life is yours.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]