Personal Values Clarification... and Maximizing ROI

View this thread on: d.buzz | hive.blog | peakd.com | ecency.com
·@denmarkguy·
0.000 HBD
Personal Values Clarification... and Maximizing ROI
<html>
<p>Yesterday, I briefly started exploring the realm of "<em>Ulogs</em>" and what they might entail, in the greater context of the Steemit ecosystem.</p>
<p>They are definitely an interesting beast, particularly for those who really enjoy taking the <em>personal</em> angle with their content; they offer a sort of "<em>freedom</em>" from having to <em>pick a topic and stick to it</em>.</p>
<p>Of course, many of us write personal content. From where I am sitting, it feels like much of what I do here is "<em>anecdotal,</em>" which makes it somewhat personal. At least more personal than the average magazine article.</p>
<h2><em>As Always... "The Money Issue"</em></h2>
<p>There are a lot of voices in this community who keep saying "<em>ROI</em>" (aka "<em>Return On Investment</em>") every time the discussion of what type of content is "<em>good for Steemit</em>" comes up. </p>
<p>
<div class="pull-left">
<p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/po16m3j.jpg" alt="PurpleFlowers" /><br />
<em>Time for reflection</em></p>
</div>
</p>
<p>Perhaps those of us who consider ourselves primarily bloggers tend to tar them with a harsh brush, pointing fingers and tsk-tsk'ing because their perspective seems to be "<em>it's all about the money.</em>"</p>
<p>As the coffee started to grab hold a few minutes ago, I realized that my primary concern has typically been <em>personal values</em>, rather than <em>monetary value</em>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Personal values, in the sense that when I click the "<em>POST</em>" button — here, or anywhere else, for that matter — my initial concern is "<em>Am I OK with putting my name on this?</em>"</p>
<p>By extension, that also means that posting something is an extension of my identity; my "<em>Brand,</em>" if you will. And if someone comes across that content — let's say five years from now — and declares "<em>YOU did this?</em>" I can rest peacefully with the knowledge that I won't have to cringe, duck into the nearest alley, or come up with a long list of rationalizations like... "<em>Well, it was just for the money.</em>"</p>
<p>Which, in turn, leads to the inevitable "<em>Oh, so you sold out...</em>"</p>
<h2><em>Maybe I'm Too Serious...</em></h2>
<p>Of course, it's likely nobody will ever care. But that's my particular value set, and it informs my actions.</p>
<p>The thing that gave rise to these musings, this morning, was someone's commentary about "<em>maximizing ROI</em>" with their Steemit postings... and how I "<em>probably didn't.</em>"</p>
<p>And I had to stop and ask myself "<em>Do I care?</em>"</p>
<p>
<div class="pull-right">
<p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uXLQejm.jpg" alt="PurpleIrises" /><br />
<em>Purple Irises</em></p>
</div>
</p>
<p>I like the rewards here as much as the next person, and I think it's an awesome deal when someone upvotes my stuff! Do I <em>expect</em> my content to make money? Nope... not really. I'm just <em>grateful</em> when it goes.</p>
<p>Would it be amazing if I got some "<em>drive-by whale vote</em>" on a post and it went viral? Absolutely!</p>
<p>Am I going to bend myself into a pretzel shape to <em>solicit</em> such a vote? Nope. Am I going to <em>BUY</em> one? Nope. If it happens, it happens.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Is that a shortcoming, in a highly competitive world?&nbsp;</p>
<p>I don't know. But I do know that in order for me to enjoy my participation in this community, I have to feel comfortable "<em>signing off</em>" on every piece of content I set free into the ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Maybe that's a hoity-toity "high moral ground" approach... but hey, those are my values. Not telling you what to do with yours!</p>
<p><em><strong>How about YOU?</strong></em> What are your motivations? What makes you care, or not care. Does the fact that content here is recorded on the blockchain — allegedly "forever" — influence what you choose to post? <em><strong>Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!</strong></em></p>
<p><center><img src="https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/382917260022382592/388985975487070218/STEEMIT-BLOGGERS-GIF.gif" /><br>  Animated banner created by <a href="/@zord189">@zord189</a></center></p>
<p><em>(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)<br>
Created at 180608 10:07 PDT</em></p>
</html>
👍 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,