My 20000 Steem Power Acceptance Speech
My introduction post earned me a nice, fat $0.00.
I worked on one post, everyday, for eighteen consecutive days after. I earned $0.10 in rewards for that effort.
Yes, I was still learning. Those posts were not great, they're weren't even good, but that didn't mean they were bad, and I knew that.
Then it hit me.
I already knew I was taking an unconventional approach to blogging. My skills had improved, I was feeling more confident rather than less after so much of what some might call defeat, so I decided to turn up the heat.
Boom!
Guts everywhere.
A solid team of curators known as Curie noticed my blog once I started to produce the now defunct Haffanower series.
Those rewards weren't just money to me though. I experienced a rewarding feeling. A rush. Then it was time to make a decision.
Do I buy new shoes with this money, or should I wait, invest, and attempt to prove a point?
Point Proven
Bonus points, for style.
Majority of my posts were still earning under $1.00 after I finally got a taste of what some may call, success.
It didn't matter to me. I decided to continue travelling down the road I was paving for myself one brick and one day at a time.
I was having fun. People were finally noticing how I wasn't being serious in majority of my posts. That was a huge step up because at the time I felt like a dandelion in the middle of that lawn where the guy comes out every morning to mow it with scissors.
The point I wanted to prove to everyone was how anyone can come here, start at the bottom, do their own thing their way, and succeed without taking shortcuts.
Why is this important to everyone and everything?
Because
I read Ned Scott's(and team) message.
The focus now seems to be more about development. Developers are being encouraged to create more content in the form of applications. Fantastic, and yes, we all see how the developers can gain a lot of attention and support from the community. That can be observed on the trending page nearly every single day.
Here is a quote from the post linked above:
We have seen massive growth in the number of third-party applications built on top of the Steem blockchain that are now flourishing. This includes Busy, DLive, DMania, DSound, DTube, Utopian.io, Vessel, and many more! We are very excited to see the innovation coming from our developer community, and we are looking forward to seeing a lot of new applications in the coming year.
It's true, we need roads, and I can certainly respect those who build them. I see why they're important.
What are roads without the cars though?
I'm a car, travelling along, one of many. Without us, these roads are useless.
Without the people contributing content to prove the concepts, all of those applications just end up being dandelions growing through the cracks of an abandoned parking lot, withering away in the sun.
I've been paying attention.
If it wasn't for those of us who came here to Steemit early to blog to our heart's content, there wouldn't be a demand for those applications now, or new ones in the future.
Thousands of us, myself included, helped pave the roads for the developers. Many who started on Steemit now utilize these other apps, because they asked for them.
Because the focus has shifted, this does not mean we should stop checking our mirrors.
The upcoming communities feature to be implemented will not function properly without content producers willing to test them out and be rewarded for their time.
Many people see these new apps pop up, they use them, they love them. Steemit.com is loved by many as well but at times it seems like it's turning into a toll road full of potholes. Not because of bad design, I'm proof that it works just fine.
People think they have to pay to have what I earned. They're being forced to purchase votes with the hopes of getting attention. They're being forced to pay to be robbed of the opportunities I had when I started here. Some of that money is going to developers and witnesses instead of the people those developers and witnesses depend on in order to be able to succeed.
I've Come This Far
And now all I'd like to do is make a simple request.
Rather than making people pay for attention, let's go back to paying attention to them.
Thank You
Everyone.
First off, congratulations!
I was wondering if you were going to do a special post for crossing 20k. Such an awesome milestone for you. I've recently crossed one of my own, 1k, but I did that mostly by buying STEEM and powering it up. I know you're proud of the fact that you have earned everything you have here, and I respect that.
Still, it was an important goal for me. I have had it since I started powering up a month and a half or so ago. For me, I had a look at this beautiful platform and wanted in immediately. I didn't want to wait, and I felt there was an opportunity cost at stake. I could either buy and power up now, or regret it later. I didn't want to wait to be handing out significant amounts of money. Today, my 100% upvote can give someone $0.30. That may not be much per post, but if I vote as much as I'm supposed to I can give out $3.00 every day.
I am not an artist. I am a bit of a writer, for fun, but I am mostly a developer (though I have not really shown this side of me yet here). I can't help but feel a bit guilty after what you said about developers. You're right; all the apps in the world won't make a difference if no one is here to use them. If I keep getting distracted away from my project ideas it will be a non-issue. Still, it may be true that I aspire to help build those roads... but if I someday succeed in that venture, I will also be driving on them, here, with you. I will always strive to be a "giver," not a "taker."
Thanks for all that you do to help the people here, and raise awareness about the issues Steemit has, and mostly... thank you for all the laughs and the interesting artwork so far. I continue to look forward to your next post every day. Thanks for being awesome.
Build the roads. Nobody is stopping you. Just know that they go both ways. Sure, I'm proud of my personal achievements here but I'd like those developers and everyone at the top to know the place is working, they did a good job, and there's someone here willing to prove it. They don't seem to be looking at us as much as they want us to look at them though. That's a one way street, and it's not going in the right direction, for now, but hopefully soon they figure out how to develop a line down the middle. Dammit, I can't fricking talk today without bursting into stupid analogies. Oh well!
"They don't seem to be looking at us as much as they want us to look at them though. That's a one way street, and it's not going in the right direction, for now, but hopefully soon they figure out how to develop a line down the middle"
i sincerely hope they can sort it out asap.....it is demoralizing when u chat up the big guns or dolphins especially when you have a bright idea on how to further promote steemit and they simply ignore u! i have experienced this recently with regards to an idea that i have concerning bringing International NGOs to showcase their work on steemit as well as use the platform as a means of alternative funding for notable projects.... Despite the fact that my idea has been shunned by the big guns, your post has given me the courage to run with the idea; and more than ever before i am determined to acheive my objective and prove that an idea can succeed even without the initial support of the big guns!!!
I did not realize I'd be motivating people today or when I wrote this. I just felt like telling my story and saying a few words.
Just do what you have to do and try to depend more on yourself than anyone else. If you want something bad enough, you'll get it. Frustrating things can and will happen, but don't let that stuff blind you. Keep pushing, work hard, focus on you, you'll get what's yours.
Thanks a million...i will soldier on!!!! Watchout for @fqtee folks-i will surely succeed on this platform.....Cheers to all the small guys trying to be big....See u all at the top asap!
Congrats on your achievement too buddy!
@nonameslefttouse
Pleasure to meet you!
Yes!!! I agree!
Following you. I love people who think and express themselves just like you did. Awesome stuff.. Glad I met someone else, just like you, who spreads realism like this...
Very cool to meet you. :)
Nice to meet you as well. I saw your post on my feed. Someone had resteemed it. There are plenty of us out there who refuse to pay for those votes and we're doing fine. If you ever have time, have a glance at this post where I compare those votes to crack cocaine. It's about 2 weeks old now. Nobody was defending those vote bots. People are sick of them.
....and I understand why.. :)
Reading the above left me emotionally imbalanced, I literally shed a tear but this time it's similar to @Surpassinggoogle's "teardrops". Tears of joy knowing that one day I will also share my success story on this platform.
Thank you for @nonameslefttouse for this amazing and inspiring piece.
This is an assurance and encouragement to many of us out there who even felt like giving up not to do so as there's a hope and reward for continuous hardwork and perseverance.
For some people, the level of oppression on the steem blockchain is undeniable. They think it's abnormal to have low payouts on perceived quality contents, but you've proven otherwise through this post. We have to accept that there's a growth process on the steem blockchain and we cannot skip it. And just like my friend @lordjames would say, "we'll have to unlearn many things and relearn in order to speed up our growth process, we'll have to try new things and take meaningful risks".
Thank you for sharing.
Well, I always say one thing. In life you will meet with wolves who wants to tear the system apart. Don't join them. Do what you believe is right and one day you will break through.
Just work together and help build each other up. It takes time. It's slow, but tomorrow will still come, so look forward to it. That's really all I can say, other than thank you. Good luck to you.
Thank you for your kind words, I've taken them into consideration.
Congrats! How active and the quality of your posts is pretty impressive. And thank you for the support. I hadn't realized you were supporting me and I wasn't even follow you. Some fall through the cracks sometimes.
Thank you, and yes, this blog of mine can be quite busy at times. I don't mind feeling virtually invisible some days. Falling through the cracks might be something else I'm good at as well. I still managed to pull this off. Stayed true to myself since day one and haven't looked back. Majority of the content I produce is based on entertainment and I realize it's not for everyone, so I just go with flow.
I remember we've talked in the past now. Your story is one of success and hard work. I can totally see that.
"I'm a car, travelling along, one of many. Without us, these roads are useless." Very well said ! This is the core of Steemit, recognizing this fact is the key, and I hope it won't deviate too much from this philosophy.
Congratulations on the 20 K SP, it's an awesome feat to say the least and a great inspiration to all joining Steemians ! You also didn't have instant success, that's very important to realize. It might sound magical to get paid for blogging but it's a lot of work to get the ball rolling !
Thanks a lot... and that's right too: This did not happen over night. I didn't show up with money to flash around or thousands of followers from another network. What's behind me truly was some of the hardest work I've ever done in my life. ...and I grew up on a farm.
Haha I believe you. I had to put in so many hours of work to get just a little bit of traction. The work has to continue. I find a little time without being interactive and you fall behind quickly. That's why it's important that you love what you do otherwise it will be hard to last in the long run
I was away for five months. I quietly left, didn't say a word. Then I showed up and surprised everyone. I didn't know what to expect. I thought I'd be starting all over again. I was wrong. These people, they had my back. I couldn't believe my eyes, but it was real. I was able to pick up right where I left off. I'm still impressed with everyone and my level of respect for them shot straight through the roof. I'll never forget it.
I also like to surround myself more with the loyal types, instead of playing the popularity contest. If you only concern yourself with money on her you will burn out quickly
you must have some kind of thing for dandelions?
"The upcoming communities feature to be implemented will not function properly without content producers willing to test them out and be rewarded for their time." I think communities are going to help greatly, in the long term. I think once they are implemented, it will be bumpy for a bit, I hope I am wrong. But, I can see how they will greatly help with retention and address some of the issues you bring out in this post.
I have really enjoyed meeting people who think differently than me through the current 'fire hose'
The communities project will have it's ups and downs. The idea came before a few of the problems we have now, to address the problems we had then. It's a slippery slope now. If we solve the old problems but include the new problems, we're back to square one. These are growing pains though. We're testing an incomplete product.
The way things are set up now, I prefer to think of it as a park full of buskers. That exists in every big city all around the world. It's a model that works. Segregation on the other hand, it's not always the best. Organization is a good thing though. If it's a fire hose now, I'll still be going with the flow, regardless of how much pressure there is. Not many can take what they have now and make it work for them. I learned a lot from MacGyver.
P.S. You should make some dandelion dishes someday. They're delish!
Damn that was good matey chops!! We had very similar beginnings. Well as everyone who has made anything of themselves here has!
I think the same everytime I see more focus on everyone else and those who buld the roads
There are many out there like us, that is true. With so many more new members now, one would think the trail we broke would be a paved highway to success by now. Instead, it's like they added speed bumps and forgot to put up the signs to warn travelers. Then they turned their backs and went on lunch break. We finally hear back from them, after all this time, only to find out thousands of people weren't given any credit for their efforts. Hopefully, in next year's message, when they address failures, they'll mention how they forgot about everyone.
I was just talking today about everyone's different roles on Steemit and how they are equally important! The techies are of course necessary but the creatives are equally necessary. No one will come here and/or stay if there is not interesting content. It's typical however of techs to just assume their contributions are more important. How do I know this? I used to be married to one. 🙈
I watched your show today. It's true, everyone plays a critical role in this. The entire plan Ned and his team laid out simply won't work without people like us. Mcdonalds customers don't flip their own burgers simply because someone developed a spatula.
Wow. That was beautiful. In a brief way, you captured the essence of curation groups like @curie, and reminded us of every thing Inc. is missing. You got a new follower 😀
Thank you. I still see Curie in action. So many of the new members I've been trying to help eventually earn the same rush I felt because of their combined efforts. I see their posts get noticed and the comments afterwards once they finally get the attention they deserve and it reminds me, of me. I know it feels good and I know it helps motivate people to continue on. Thanks again.
Congrats @nonameslefttouse! You've always been a passionate user on the website, going through the motions even when shit keeps hitting the fan on steem lol. This is your least insane post by the way :P
Thanks @kevinwong, for the words and the visit as well. I think when shit hits the fan, I just call it a shit shower and start lathering up. Does that help make this sound insane? I hope so. Certainly don't want to be losing my touch.