Out of Steem - It's a marathon, not a sprint!

 “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” 

-A.A. Milne

Dear Steemers, 

How often do we feel like our goals are so far into the future that a Steemit binge might just help us strike it rich?

When I first started using Steemit, I was of the opinion that the more one posted and up-voted on the platform, the bigger the odds were of getting the attention of everyone. But then I learned through some amazing posts and the advice of my peers that the good ol' quality vs. quantity rule applies beautifully to Steemit.

For us, this means limiting the amount of activity we perform on Steemit and aligning our goals with those of Steemit. Lest we forget, the point of Steemit is to create valuable posts and interact positively with those who we believe are doing a good job of it. It actually becomes counterproductive to go on a posting spree and also upvote as many posts as possible in hopes of catching a trend.

I believe that taking your time on Steemit is the best way to go. Here are a few points:

• When you find a good post, take your time to comment and provide valuable feedback. This helps the community grow stronger. Up-voting is obvious.
• When you submit a story, take your time to make sure you are getting the point across effectively. Using too many words is counterproductive if the ideas can be condensed. 
• Take the time to find images that convey your ideas effectively. Images and GIFS really speak to people on the internet.
• Actually READ an entire post before taking action on it. If you like or comment on a post before reading the whole thing, you are rushing the process and defeating the purpose of the platform.
• Flag posts which can be universally accepted as not valuable on the platform. Flagging based on envy or a wish to bring people down from the top is not cool, dude. 
• Doing these things will make you more successful as a blogger and you will see that being patient on the platform can pay off. 

Steemit is a marathon, not a sprint. If you read the Steemit Whitepaper, you will see how the founders believed that delaying the Steem Power down to a period of 2 years would be a way to slow people down from making rash decisions. The platform has also been designed to keep trolls and woodpeckers from polluting the system. Our Steemit whales are doing everything they can to improve the platform as well. We will see Steemit surpass any blogging system in the world pretty soon, which means you are in a good place my friend!

You might say that system is still unfair because newcomers will score a $1000 reward, while you have been here for 2 weeks and earned very little in comparison.

Refer to my post about envy. In addition, I believe that if a blogger was somehow not deserving of their first big reward, the system will work out the difference over time. Good bloggers who are consistent will reap bigger rewards in the end than those who made a quick buck and dropped off the scene.

In conclusion, be patient and enjoy your time on Steemit as well, knowing that we are a part of something extraordinary!

Sincerely, 

Benji