Being a whale in cryptocurrency: It is a dream of many.  Attaining that level could potential set one up for life.

Think about the place that Bitcoin Whales presently occupy.  These people are very wealthy at the roughly $10,000 a coin that the price is at.  Even if the pullback drops to $3,000, there is no reason to fret for these individuals.  Ultimately, they will do okay.

The same is true for Steem.  Those with at least 500K should end up very well off.  They do not require $20 STEEM to be very wealthy.  Plus, since Steem is DPOS, they tend to wield a great deal of influence.

Thus, when it comes to being an active part of the community, being a Whale is something everyone should strive for.  Fortunately, in some instances, one can become a Whale in under 90 days.

Please notice I wrote Whale and not "STEEM Whale".  The idea that the average person could become that in a short period of time is outlandish.  Sure, if one has an extra $125K laying around, it is achievable.  For the rest of us, not so much.

https://www.marivalresidences.com/blog/media/uploads/2018/12/WHALE-PHOTO-SAFARI_V_14-1-1024x683.jpg
<center>[Source](https://www.marivalresidences.com/blog/vallarta-home-of-the-humpback-whales/)</center>

Instead, I want to bring up the idea of focusing upon some of the communities.  Via the Steem-Engine platform, we saw the introduction of hundreds of tokens.  Many of these have little use with nothing really backing them.  There are, however, a number who did represent active communities intent on growing and providing value.  This is where one can have a significant impact.

One of the features of Steem is that stake equates to influence.  This idea extends to all the projects started using the Steem-Engine platform.  Those with the stake are able to exert more influence over the community.  

I realize that all these projects are layer 2 applications meaning they do not affect one's influence at the base level.  This is only done via SP so, unless one converts tokens to that, nothing changes.

What does see a difference is the individuals who are the largest stake holders in the community.  Those who exert time and effort in the early stages are the ones who have the greatest concern.  Being an early adopter of the STEM token, as an example, is most likely going to be someone who truly cares about that subject.  Hence, the ability to become a large player quickly is advantageous.

The rewards on some of the newer communities is rather large at the moment.  In a couple of them, just watching the pattern over the last few weeks, the number of users is growing to the point that the individual rewards is dropping.  This is similar to what happened to Steem from the early days.

One can go back to see a time when Steem trending posts were paid thousands.  Today, those same slots on the trending page are valued in hundreds.  As more posting takes place, the votes get spread over a wider range of content.  

The idea of "tribes" is a wonderful idea because it allows for a "reset" of the token distribution at the application level.  Those who are active and involved early are rewarded.  Perhaps, they are individuals who were involved in the establishment of the tribe or were rewarded for effort such as moderating a Discord group.  Either way, the largest token holders of any community are typically not the same as the distribution of STEEM.

With so many communities springing up, it is impossible for one to be active in them all.  This means each of us has a choice where to participate.  It is here where one's focus can have tremendous value.  Associating oneself with a community of interest that grows over time can be very beneficial.  Not only does one stand to gain from the token, but he or she can be a major influence in the ultimate path that community takes.

It is easy to bash the STEEM Whales and proclaim how unfair it is they have so much stake.  Obviously, at the base layer that is not changing anytime soon.  However, we each have the opportunity to help offset that a bit by concentrating our efforts on being of impact elsewhere.  Everything done on the ecosystem does, ultimately, benefit Steem.  Yet, by concentrating our efforts, we can aid in pushing a particular community to the forefront.  

Essentially, it starts with what is one's area of interest and expertise?  What can he or she bring to the table?

The helps to assemble a group of knowledgeable people around a particular subject where passion exists.  This, in my mind, is all that is needed as the foundation of a great community.  A few passionate people can truly make a major difference.

These are the ones that I would want holding the greatest stake in my community.  They are the ones who are willing to do all they can to make things grow and get better for people.  It is their caring and concern that helps others who share the same views yet do not have similar stake.  This is where expansion can take place.

Notice the sense this conveys as opposed to those who a truly driven simply by money.  Sure, we all live in a system where financial obligations need to be met.  Those who can derive a livable income from their actions on here are in a unique position.  That said, many of the greatest fortunes, in financial terms, often were created by people not driven by money.  It is what they were creating that was the basis for their financial windfall.  

We will see the same on here.  Those who are driven by a particular subject they are passionate about will, in all likelihood, end up with a large stake in the community that reflects that passion.  This will create a very influential person in terms of the impact that can be made.

It is for this reason that we all should be excited about the opportunity to become Whales in different communities.  This is one of the ways we can impact things for the better.

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