Trying to strike it rich using Steemit? You're probably going to fail.

If you're trying to use Steemit to make some quick cash, you're probably not going to.

You know why? Because you're trying to make money. You're trying to take from this community instead of trying to give, to contribute. And that's why you're probably going to fail, and fail miserably.

Here's the most important difference between Steemit and other social media sites: the more Steem Power you have, the more powerful your upvote becomes. That's unique among existing social media platforms, which are more or less blazing dumpster fires of garbage content. You're free to Like something on Facebook because it costs you nothing and it provides you nothing. Here, because your upvote has value, you need to carefully consider what deserves to be upvoted and what doesn't. That means shitposting, for lack of a better word, is largely ineffective in gathering the attention - and the upvotes - of the community.

Whales know this. It's how they became whales. Whales got to be whales because they both create and curate high-value content on a consistent basis.

Whales are major players in the Steemit ecosystem, which is why it can be tempting to pander to them in return for that coveted upvote. Yet garbage content posts begging for upvotes from whales hardly ever works out. Why? Because whales know the value of their votes, and they don't spend them on garbage content that was only posted by someone trying to strike it rich. Whales didn't earn their whale status by upvoting garbage.

Right now, Steemit is a closed ecosystem. There's no new signups at the moment, which means you can't get all your friends and relatives to sign up and upvote your garbage content in search of a payday. Even if Steemit was still open, that just wouldn't work because new members have little in the way of power. That's as it should be: the system is designed specifically to let members rise and fall on their own merits. New members are just entering the community; as minnows, they've got to prove themselves by posting and curating valued content, and they've got to do it consistently. It's the only way to grow your power and influence in this community. Your voting power - and your ability to make money - is tied to that.

So if you're here solely to make a quick buck, don't bother; you're not going to. If you're here because you want to make this community better, keep generating and curating valued content. Contribute, and contribute reliably.

The money will come. Don't let it be your primary, or even your secondary focus. This is a social media platform, so be social. Make friends. Have discussions. Get in a few arguments; get in a few laughs. The money is a bonus! The true reward is how all our lives are enriched by giving, not by taking.