<center>http://www.todayifoundout.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Moby-Dick-3.jpg</center>

Most new Steemians naturally make a beeline for whales as soon as they arrive in Steemitland. The lure is strong - whales have the power with 1 upvote to put a big smile on your face, earning your comment a nice monetary reward. Of course whales get much attention, they are the ones with the real power here and power is alluring.

We all make the mistake of trying too early to engage with the real power brokers, hoping that a little of what they have elevates our status. Yes, I too am guilty of this, I do not plead innocence. But before you do, please don't make the same mistake I have.

Steemit is all about community and engagement. Imagine this scenario: you are in a bar although your wallet/purse is pretty low on funds. You want a drink so start mingling with strangers. What are the chances they will buy you a drink? Slim to none. Now imagine you already know these patrons and you are financially disadvantaged. I bet you would struggle to walk in a straight line by the end of the night. The same is true here. Get to know people, chat with them on Steemit chat or on Discord. Write good posts, excellent posts. Slowly you will get the attention, it just takes time and we all have to pay our dues.

A common mistake I often see is posts by newbies filled with tags aimed at various whales. This in all likelihood will get you unwanted attention. You look needy, it's not a great look.

In the meanwhile I would advise this: swim in your own pool. If you are starting out here you are a minnow. Stick with fellow minnows, support them, learn from them. By all means engage with whales but use this to build up your reputation. Get involved with the wider community and help it grow, it will in turn help you grow.

I cannot stress this highly enough. If you are a struggling minnow starting out on your Steemit journey please consider joining the minnow support project. 
https://steemit.com/minnowsupportproject/@minnowsupport/minnow-support-project-problem-statement-vision-statement-mission-statement-and-plan-to-help-you-grow-from-minnow-to-whale-with
It was started by @aggroed just over a week ago - backed up and supported by several whales - and has already attracted 1139 members. It is a place where you can get lots of help, support and advice to help you grow. There are even a few upvoting bots to help your posts along their way. The team of greeters do an excellent job of managing things in PALnet, the Discord chatroom for the project. https://discord.gg/v3GpU4N
Here we all support each other, grow our following and offer constructive criticism, should you want it, to improve your posts and increase your potential earnings.

I have seen a huge growth since I joined the minnow support project. My following has increased from 500 to over 800 today. My posts have improved both in their quality and their earnings. I am beginning to get noticed and have been very fortunate to be picked as one of @acidyo's delegated curators. I posted about it here:
https://steemit.com/ocd/@gmuxx/acidyo-s-ocd-and-why-i-won-t-be-voting-for-you-for-now

***Don't concentrate on hunting for whales, build up your reputation and standing. You will get noticed.***
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[Source](http://www.todayifoundout.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Moby-Dick-3.jpg)
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<center>Proud member and supporter of the #minnowsupportproject - brought to you by @aggroed, @ausbitbank, @teamsteem, and @canadian-coconut 
Click [HERE](https://steemit.com/minnowsupportproject/@minnowsupport/minnow-support-project-problem-statement-vision-statement-mission-statement-and-plan-to-help-you-grow-from-minnow-to-whale-with) to learn more

<center>https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmRSmRyg4MdRdiKsWTMbfyiAG673K1yP65MoUTbCXGp9Xi/PAL-FOOTER.gif</center>

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