Have you ever tried sharing your excitement about Steemit with a friend? And if so, did you find it surprisingly difficult to make him see the life changing opportunities you so passionately described?

Do not despair dear fellow Steemian. You are not alone!

The reason why your friend does not see the light is not related to your abilities as a storyteller. He and you simply do not share certain personality traits and that is totally fine - He will probably join later on anyway, long after Steemit has evolved into a giant within the social media landscape and yourself enjoying the benefits of foresight.

But what constitutes a true Steemian?

On this page we will explore the common character traits of a true Steemit enthusiast.

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First a little background

In writing this piece I have reached out to some of our most experienced users here on Steemit to ask for their insights on the topic. This has indeed given me food for thought. With their permission I will throughout the text share their thoughts as quotes to put the text into a little perspective.

It is, however, important to note that all quotes are taken out of context and that the following primarily is based on my own ideas and assumptions.

Thank you @sauravrungta, @surfyogi, @calamus056, @donkeypong, @katharsisdrill, @someguy123, @pharesim, @gavvet, @thecryptofiend, @firepower, @papa-pepper, @good-karma and @crypt0 for generously sharing your thoughts with me in the making of this story. It has been very insightful for a minnow like me, and I hope the Steemit community will find it equally inspiring.

Let’s get to it!

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5 typical personality traits of a Steemit enthusiast

Steemit is still in beta mode and those joining today can definitely still be defined as early adaptors.

Today we are about 240.000 Steemians and that number is, if you ask devoted members of the tribe, expected to grow rapidly over the coming years:

I believe Steem is going to a 1 Billion Dollar Market Cap within 2-3 months, with evidence. [...] This project has legs for years and we won't see the growth stop for upwards of 5 years once it starts running, so keep posting, keep curating and just keep active, your future self will thank you
@decentralizd

I believe we could see a critical mass event sometime in the next 12 months
@hisnameisolllie

Steemit.com is pumping, usage is growing exponentially and the STEEM blockchain is demonstrating its potential to the world
@gavvet

That makes you, brave Steemian, a pioneer and here are 5 reasons why:

1. The visionary pathfinder

Do you often find yourself puzzled by the lack of imagination among your fellow citizens?

The average Steemian might not be able to see into the future, but he sure does try to!

This visionary impulse can be based on different motivations. Some are driven by the need for personal development and expansion of knowledge, others by their desire to see human kind advance to even higher evolutionary levels while some might be motivated by profit potential.

Common for all, however, is an inherent attraction to progress and development.

The search for something new and shiny!

Open-mindedness and eagerness to learn new things are mostly common [among Steemians]
@good-karma

The wonders of the blockchain phenomenon are for examples not obvious to all. It takes a certain extent of vision to see how the blockchain can or will revolutionize our society. Steemians above the age of 25 were probably quick to adopt the Internet as well when that came out, and will be among the first to jump on the next revolutionary train of innovation.

There's so many people from all different backgrounds [on Steemit], but what unites all of them in my opinion is curiosity and open-mindedness.
@pharesim

The visionary Steemian is an early adopter when it comes to new technological innovations and welcomes change with open arms. Thus, he generally has a positive attitude towards technologies, believing them to improve the lives of humanity.

But,

In my opinion, what really sets the typical Steemian apart from the rest of the visionary dreamers out there is his willingness to act upon his insights and intuition.

A Steemian takes action!

A Steemian sees progress unfolding in line with his own ideas of a better tomorrow and cannot resist the opportunity of active involvement.

He refuses to sit passively on the sidelines while history is unfolding. He jumps right into uncharted territory, leading the way by example.

The Steemian is not afraid to invest his hard earned savings in a cryptocurrency he believes in. He becomes an active contributor sharing his ideas, knowledge, wealth, help and software developments with the rest of us.

Dear Steemian. You deserve full recognition for your decision to actively follow your heart and visions towards a hopefully spectacular future!

2. The passionate idealist

To what do we owe your pleasant company here on Steemit? What brought you here and why do you choose to spend so much time on this site?

For the money?

For the fame?

Money and fame are all good and might also be contributing factors for her decision, but the main motive is perhaps not monetary gains after all. Studies have shown that extrinsic motivation like money is overrated as long as you have your basic needs met:

Money is important, but we all want and need more than compensation alone. Our work indicates that people also want to be recognized, contributing members of a winning team.
Entrepreneur

If it were for fame, then I would argue that Youtube or Facebook would be better alternatives with their huge userbases.

So what is in fact your underlying motive?

It seems like passion is a key motive behind many of our loyal Steemians.

I think Steemians are a totally different breed. They are passionate, friendly, cooperative and make this community really feel like the small town of the internet.
@sauravrungta

Many Steemians have found a platform in Steemit that accommodates their own interests and values. A place with no censorship based on the blockchain technology. Words and concepts like decentralization, community, cutting out the middleman, compassion, recognition, generosity, friendliness, idealism and hope come to mind when discussing the advantages of Steemit.

[The Steemian has] a sense of hope
@donkeypong

I think that originality and compassion are two of the character traits that I have seen stick out in this community, Somehow, steemit has attracted a lot of interesting and talented people that not only enjoy sharing what they are capable of and have been up to, but also are there to help others with advice, inspiration, encouragement, and even resources when needed. I'm glad to be involved in a community like that!
@papa-pepper

I am currently only buying Steem and investing in Steem going forward because I believe in the community of users of which I am a part
@jerrybanfield

The possibility of a rewarding community fully in line with her own sets of values and visions of a better future ignites a passion in the Steemian. This passion forms the basis of her desire to spend time and contribute here.

And as a bonus:

Earning recognition from like-minded and equally passionate people along the way.

3. The brave adventurer of modern times

Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

It surely takes some guts to invest your hard earned FIAT money in a highly volatile cryptocurrency outside the top 5 crypto market cap!

Do you consider yourself a courageous individual?

If not, then listen here:

Bravery is defined as a willingness to confront potential pain and hardship.

When you bought and/or held some Steem in your account, you did it knowing that it involved some measure of risk.

If you ever follow the daily prices of the crypto market you will surely have felt pain and hardship on several occasions. You would have encountered “fear”, the opposite of courage. You would also have encountered the dreaded FOMO!

Since you are reading this, you likely stood ground though, not bending to fear.

What made you endure the hardship?

Passion and belief which we covered in the sections above were probably part of the equation.

When facing severe adversity you are much better positioned when you wholeheartedly believe in the course. It will calm your nerves and help you endure pain more easily which in effect improves your chances of success.

Steemitusers are soldiers of fortune with a slight hint of underground sectarianism. But also firstmovers that are as exited by the idea as they are with the gain - believers, or pretending to be - and enthusiastic builders of a new community: frontiersmen.
@katharsisdrill

Perseverance and Consistency are two of the biggest traits that I think is common amongst successful Steemit users, something everyone on the platform must strive towards.
@firepower

Do you believe in Steemit?

If so, you are in fact a brave man/woman.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela

You will not regret your courageous moments on your deathbed. Failed attempts make you wiser, fear based paralysis leads to regret. So take pride in the fact that you courageously joined something you believe in - The Steemit revolution!

4. The independent money counter

This might or might not come as a surprise to you, but money seems to be a central theme among Steemians.

[A Steemian has a] love of money
@gavvet

Among the top 12 tags on Steemit, 4 of them are about finances (Steem, Bitcoin, Money and Cryptocurrency). For comparison none of the top 12 subreddits is about finance and the same goes for Twitter #’s and Instagram.

Financial topics

The average Steemian tends to be very occupied with having his money multiply while not being wasteful in his daily spending habits. That might sound like we are a cheap and greedy bunch, but that postulate should be firmly put to ground right now:

I think a lot of Steemians have generosity in common. Many donate time and money to help others out, not just upvotes, they have changed other peoples lives for the better.
@someguy123

I'd say helpfulness is most common amongst Steemit users.
@thecryptofiend

Generosity is a core element of Steemit where users reward each others by upvoting content we like. Also, it seems rare to have users solely upvoting their own content. The upvoting economy seems to be working precisely because of human generosity.

Then,

Exactly what explains this counterintuitive coexistence of generosity and money fixation?

I might be going out on a limb here, so correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it has something to do with freedom and independence!

The decentralized model of the blockchain attracts people who do not believe in central governments and large corporate surveillance. People supporting the blockchain concept value their freedom and independence and are willing to put their money where their mouths are.

Living a free and independent life does require funds (of some kind), and that explains the Steemian’s fixation on money issues. Wasteful spending is part of the mindless consumerism taught by the politicians and the big companies. Breaking free of this mindless spending habit will help the Steemian quit the hopeless rat race with the ultimate goal of financial independence.

The site [Steemit] is both blockchain based and has attracted many freedom minded/libertarian/anarcho-capitalists
@dollarvigilante

How much would you be willing to give up on for financial independency?

I have a feeling that the average Steemian would be willing to make bigger sacrifices in order to reach the joyous land of financial freedom than most.

Just take a look in the travel section of this site, and you will soon find Steemians living a free life to their fullest!

5. The bright and creative contributor

Do you often find yourself spending hours consuming what appears like a never-ending stream of quality content here on Steemit?

Sure we have our fair share of cat pictures as well, but the amount of creative and in-depth content is staggering compared to the current number of active users. Steemians really must have a lot of things on their mind!

On top of that, as seen in the daily stats reports by @penguinpablo, each post on Steemit receives on average 3,5 comments.

Steemians certainly have an opinion about many things and are not afraid to share their views and knowledge.

Users on Steem are some of the most positive, spirited, and insightful people in not only the social media/cryptocurrency community, from diverse backgrounds, offering free information in real-time
@crypt0

Luckily, in Steemit, they must have found the right place to hang out, a place where creativity and knowledge is rewarded in cold crypto.

So, naturally my next question to you is:

Do you do drugs?

According to science smart people tend to consume more drugs like cocaine and marijuana:

Intelligent people don’t always do the right thing, only the evolutionarily novel thing

The blockchain is an evolutionarily novel thing to adapt and it takes an intelligent mind to comprehend that before it goes mainstream.

Thus, I am sure you will agree that Steemians are indeed a very bright and creative bunch.

A bright, creative mind thrives in an environment like Steemit. Ned and Dan are my examples; I learn from them, and try to build community from there..
@surfyogi

Steemit mainly seems to attract people that want to make the world a better place
@calamus056

Conclusion - The modern day pioneer

Steemit is the name of an early settlement found on the banks of Blockchain - the promised land of the future.

The brave and optimistic settlers of Blockchain are tough people who left the comfort of the old world in search of a new home based on freedom and liberty.

The Steemian will be facing hardships on his journey towards a better future, but driven by passion and belief, the city of Steemit will flourish and eventually become the super power of our dreams.

So, to sum it all up:

Steemians you are indeed pioneers of the digital future!

And you deserve full recognition for the energy you invest into building the foundations of our rapidly growing Facebook killer. I for one am very proud to be part of a social media revolution based on values like generosity, vision, passion, intelligence and courage.

Thank you very much for making Steemit such a wonderful place to grow!

Follow me: @ronni

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