I wish I could say I have some good advice or a magic formula, but I don't... but I appreciate your frustration.
The other day, I had to remind myself why I was here... and I remembered that (a) I really like blogging a lot better than posting lame sauce one-liners to Farcebook, (b) the reason I started here in the first place was the petty arguments and trolling over there and (c) the interaction here IS generally more intelligent and meaningful than most venues.
I never expected to make a goddamn cent when I signed up. I still think it's a small miracle when I get a few bucks. My expectation of ANY site that supposedly "pays for content" is that I will get an email tomorrow morning that says "We're sorry, but we can no longer pay contributors. But please keep sending in your stuff, because it'll look great on your resumé!"
How's THAT for a positive attitude?
My frustration stems from the fact that I was one of the popular kids. But then I was too critical. And people stopped supporting me.
I guess because people supporting them told them to stay away from me, or else. So my account died. Had I always made $0, it wouldn't bother me.
But these days, I'm woefully regretting ever opening my mouth about Steemit.
I should have just acted like a fanboy and I'd be fine.
I might even have some tasty delegation like the other fanboys. But no. It's my own fault. Absolutely my own fault. I didn't play the game right.
Shoulda.
You shouldn't censor yourself for money or fame. I censored myself for years and always felt terrible, so even if I make 75% less income, I feel much better about myself and thus am happier. Be you, bud.
I was way happier when I made triple digits on autovotes, trust me. :D
Surface level happiness <<<<<< true happiness tbh
Meh. Your integrity is worth more than what a whale can afford. True, you would most certainly make more here had you played the Steemit Fanboy Gametm from the beginning, but I wouldn't be following you then; think of how horrible that would be.
I'm starting to doubt that.
But you following me is my favorite thing on Steemit, so there's that.
At one time I had hopes that Steemit would be different, but this is just another microcosmic metaphor for greater life.
Staying in authenticity is rarely a commercially viable endeavor. People want to hear about how pretty the emperor's new clothes are, and where they can buy them... not that the emperor is, in fact, wearing no clothes. That fucks with too many people's paradigms, and too many people with big investments in the "profit paradigm" that requires conformity among all the Fanboys™.