Looking back now on my begining days on Steem, I find many months of being lost in the wilderness in the vast Steem pond. After almost 2 years of patience and preservence, I see my growth curve as pretty funny and how certain things helped me to improve and in keeping my foot strong among the big whales.

Image Credit - wordseye.com

No doubt like many others , I joined Steem for rewards. I was introduced on the platform with only understanding that posting anything gives you reward. This was my only official & formal mentoring.

With this basic knowledge, I started to flow. And keep posting anything but try to add some meaning to it. Sooner I realised, it was not the case as told. Hardly, I was getting upvote. I went back to my mentor, looking to find a way out. Till my first week, I was totally in darkness. I saw my mentor getting few rewards and making me feel like being left in the crowd.

Image Credit

My second mentoring comes from the same guy, it was about to reach out to possible big whales on #steemit.chat and ask for vote. Till that time I was not aware about #discord or #telegram neither I knew about #minnow #dolphin or #whales. Already on my third week of Steem, I kept flowing as directed with no own thought to apply.

I made a list of few online name on #steemit.chat and checked their profile @ haejin being the first, I followed him and asked for upvote.....to my surprise "no reply". My first attempt failed. I reach to other big name with higher reputation & wallet.
I don't remember her name , but am sure it was a female account. As practiced, I left a message for upvote / follow , she was online, but didn't replied.
I thought, big players do not entertain, small users. As I was about to close the window, I saw the pop-up, it was her and had replied. "DO NOT BEG". and I was stunned, it was most embrassing reply I ever had in my life and not only in Steem only. For a min I was like, I am begging just for rewards.🥺
Well, I didn't gave up, I quickly put forward my situation and asked her to fish me out. I won't say, she upvoted me later, but I would say, she was the first who guided me and mentored me about the importance of community on Steem.

Since then, it was me all alone, looking way out by my own. I didn't asked anything and started my journey all alone which get well support later from @utopian.io #thealliance , #thesteemengine, and other community.

Quite an interesting journey so far.

Thanks to Steem, we now have many onboarding tutorial that are helping many new user to adapt quickly and learning the growth curve.

Stay Calm....Do Not Panic.

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Namaste from @steemflow

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Keep Steeming...Steem On !!!