1) the more i learn the less i know
2) financials are secondary, content and credibility are primary
3) assess your value (what you can "offer" the community) and then offer it

i guess these three points could be applied to life in general. and learning and growing on steemit is not unlike learning and growing in real life. or IRL as the nerds say ;)

1) i consider myself tech saavy, and a bit of a nerd. blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are new frontiers for me (and the human world) and it's exciting to learn about something so new and potentially so powerful. but it's also super overwhelming. every ten minutes you spend researching something unlikes hours of new questions and new avenues of exploration. it's exhilirating and intimidating at the same time. but that's life, isn't it? and like in life, you have to just slow down and take it one day at a time. you're learning. i'm learning. we are all learning. and steemit is the front of a massive learning curve that will someday shift the paradigm between humans, corporations, intellectual property and personal financial power. or at least that's what i think we're all doing here? haha

2) i think there are a lot of people on Steemit with the sole intention of making money. if it's not your sole intention, it's definitely part of your motivation.  as content creators, we want to see our value noted and respected. but we all think our content is amazing and worth money and that's just not the case. the artist doesn't decide the monetary value of his art; the consumer does. so really, at the end of the day, all you can control is your desire to create and your own sense of self-worth that it gives you. if you don't love writing, love creating, love photographing and singing and engaging with an audience and sharing your gift with the world BECAUSE YOU CAN... then this site, like a lifetime of pursuing someone else's validation, will leave you feeling empty.  you should be here because you have more creativity and community-mindedness than you know what to do with. if those are your goals, the financials will fall in line without you even caring. in my opinion, THAT'S the power of Steemit.

3) being a citizen of any community means being part of a larger organism or ecosystem. your actions have consequences. and everyone has value. so, just like in a real life community, you need to find out what you can offer the group and then offer it. my theory on that is that at the end of the day, all anyone really has to offer is themselves. their uniqueness. their essence. their light. their point of view. we are all the same light particles, just seen from different points of view. i know i can offer empathy to my community, as well as a sense of humor, some music, some insight on travels and world experiences, and maybe even a killer potato salad recipe. IF YOU'RE LUCKY.  but seriously - for this whole things to work and feel good, you have to offer your true and authentic self, and realize the value in that. the world doesn't need more of "the fastest" or "the strongest" or "the smartest" or "the sexiest".... it just needs you!

thank you, Steemians: for letting me be a part of this grand experiment, but also just for letting me be me. i think humans are innately good creatures. and our discovery and invention of technology should work to enhance and enable that innate good. I'm excited about our future. The nerds shall inherit the earth. Live long and prosper. May the Force be with you. I'm Pickle Riiiiiiiick! 

thanks for reading ok bye now!
.j.

![IMG_0449.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmapa9BCRq42AaD5YEFkRRLZen727DeBYoENZQRPn5Qkqo/IMG_0449.jpg)