This is a complicated answer. Steemit is like an onion, and the deeper levels get noticed after one asks the right questions or does enough deep diving. Here are the main things I would suggest:

1. Study why Steem was invented: https://bytemaster.github.io/
2. When studying, look up all words you don't understand.
3. Find work to do in Steemit. Ask yourself this question: what are the biggest pain points of newbies? Take a survey of people just like yourself and start helping people who are newer than you. There are tons of articles that I want to write, but don't have time to write them all......Whatever things you know how to do well, make a how-to guide and help those under you.
4. Make friends with others.
5. Study people who do well, and figure out what they do that you aren't doing.
6. Find a mentor who is similar to you. A good example of this was when I wanted to become a better writer. Most writers I knew weren't similar to me. I had to find a writer who was like me (a little crazy, very confessional, and erratic), and I did find one: James Altucher. I studied everything he did, and copied his methods (I did not copy his work. (duh).
7. Find out what things you want to change in the world...what bugs you? Develop a solution to what bugs you and share it on here.