https://s26.postimg.org/oy2y6u00p/blue_whale_size.jpg

I know that there are various posts around about whales and their votes, and I want to add my voice to this as well. 

I have now been using the platform for the past few weeks.  I constantly posted every day except for the few days where I my account was locked out due to the hacking.  I am however hoping that I am surely but steady building a reputation which I believe is incredibly important while we are still a relatively small amount of people on the network.

I know that the user base is steadily ticking over growing.  This week alone we have around 3000 new user registrations since the account freeze earlier this week.  

**Now this is good and  bad:**
 It is **good** and  very important and good for the platform as it gives the platform a diversity of the content and opinions and it I is **bad** because it also brings the issue of more and more posts being created and published, which in turn makes our newly created posts drop off the New lists even quicker.

I have read many posts about this specific topic and the developers of the system, including @ned and @dantheman are really looking to address this issue, by evolving the platform.

**Fork 12** will go live today at 18:00 and my personal believe is that it WILL make a difference to each and every of us.  I am not yet sure if the user interface to these functionality will change the look and feel of the current Steemit platform - I certainly hope so.

While I believe that it is important to build a reputation now to reap the benefits later,  and I am probably stating the obvious, I also believe that the only way of getting longevity in the current user base, is for Whales to keep the people excited and encourage them to stay on the platform.

As mentioned earlier that I have been posting everyday at least once per day.  It is *definitely* not only about earning money for each post, but when you post and do not see any reward for your posts you really feel disheartened.   
I haven't made an in-depth study of the trends of voting by whales, but I believe just by looking at trending posts, that most of us will have a spike when you post your first Introduceyourself post.  Then you feel that the world is your oyster.  I was part of Steemit before these introduceyourself posts starting to earn thousands of dollars.  I received around $160 for my post, and I felt encouraged!  For me anything more than $50 for a good post is what will keep me on the platform.  I fully understand that each and every post cannot make $50.  You will have your Treasure posts, which will still earn $1000' of dollars.  And most of your posts will still be worth much less than $50.

If you can have somebody like @steemed, #steemroler or @itsascam following you. It is actually possible to earn a fulltime living from Steemit.  I love @steemed 's approach to only following a very specific amount of good writes.  This makes sense.  If you deliver for him, he delivers for you.  Like an Employer /employee relationship.  @steemed, may I please ask that you review my posts, and if you feel there are value, to please add me to your list of authors :)

So after my introduction post, I didn't make much for my posts maybe $0,60 or $0,90 for each post.  

# And then it happened. 

### The Whale called @rainman upvoted my posts and all of a sudden, I had another $100 + post.  Then @svk and @svk.witness followed. 

The post paid out at around $143 or so.  Again I felt like I am on top of the world.  @rainman, thank you for this.  **You made my day and gave me hope again!!**

I hope that all the whales fully understand the importance and responsibility given to them, by constantly voting for a diversity of topics.  You are the big brothers, that with the rest of the community will make or break **this amazing platform called STEEMIT**.

[Image Credits](http://propelsteps.wordpress.com)

# Happy Steeming to all