DON'T Quit Your J.O.B. (Stop The Minnow Madness!)
Ok... I am not sure if this will be popular or if it will smash the Steemit dream 🎉 but it needs to be said.
DON'T. QUIT. YOUR. JOB.
I keep seeing posts over and over of people saying how they are quiting their jobs and doing Steemit full time. Seriously? I mean, I know you are an amazing writer and just joined the site 2 months ago and already have 400 followers (because you are following 1,000 people) but I think you are jumping the gun hot shot! 💣
A few of these posts I am looking at have MAYBE a few thousand in value in the account. Also, do you not understand that you have to power down over 3 months? Maybe the dollar signs on your posts are getting to your head and you think this is an ATM that you can come in and just take it out once 7 days are up.
YOU CAN'T
Not that fast. Plus I am confused how you can look at Steemit as a long term strategy (Isn't that what jobs/careers are?) and using it as your main source of income for survival. The whole concept of strengthening yourself in the Steemit community and economy is to power up and get your account at a better level to get more earning power. I don't know about you, but I have monthly bills and monthly income that I need. If you are going to take it out with a slow drip over the power down period and expect it to keep going up and earning more then you have missed the boat on the concept of this system.
YOU CAN'T POWER DOWN AND KEEP STAKE IN THE SYSTEM.
There is a domino effect in the Steemit world or in any world for that matter where humans are involved. We embrace the successful, we flock to the influencers of the crowd. There is some balance of the rich get richer, but it is only because they got to that point in some fashion. The ironic thing is the ones that seem to be able to quit their job to earn an income off of this platform are the ones that cared more about the engagement or social aspect to build up what it takes to get to that point. And honestly, if you are there I doubt you would be cashing out.
I know you made that "I Quit My Job Post!" and it was your highest payout yet. It is a mirage. It was the community giving you a "Aww.. Isn't that special. Kinda stupid and we feel a little pity so let's help this once" upvote.
So My Advice...
(You knew this was coming, right?)
Don't quit. Just keep writing and engaging. Do you hate your job? Write about it! Bring that passion in to your posts. Maybe don't use specifics to keep the job, but express yourself. Are you just wanting to jump and take a risk? Risk being open and posting here while you still work. Feel out the water. See how it goes. Are you thinking you can earn more? Test it first! Spend a few weeks really making Steemit your second job. See if you see an increase and at what percentage. Then make your move.
Bottom line: If you aren't giving 110% to Steemit engagement and involvement while you have a job then what makes you think you will start once you quit your job?
I challenge you to walk into work tomorrow and give everything you got. And then come home and work Steemit and build your influence. In fact, I challenge you to attempt this for the month of July. One month. Try it. Give 110% NOW. See what happens...
YOU CAN'T POWER DOWN AND KEEP STAKE IN THE SYSTEM
well yeah...
you can.
if you power down, say, 500 steem a week.
earn 600 a week to replace it with
.
AUTHOR REWARDS
Estimated author rewards last week:
466.434 STEEM POWER
0.000 STEEM
897.376 SBD
that'd DO IT?
ya think?
So 600 STEEM a week is earning $1200 a week currently. You would need to earn that every week as the increase in signups happen. Plus you are taking away 600 STEEM POWER from yourself each time you do it that could have been used to increase your future earnings. My point is you aren't increasing your stake in the system but instead lowering it over time. It is definitely an opportunity cost involved in powering down. And there is no promise that you will continue to make the amount you are as the user base continues to grow and new changes are introduced.
those who say it cannot be done
should not discourage those who are doing it.
That is a feel good statement but is very shallow in actual application. "those who are doing it" implies success and we are not talking about that group. It would be more accurate to say:
"Those who say it cannot be done
should not discourage those who are attempting to do it."
So that is closer to our conversation but then it is flawed. My kids want to attempt things all the time, but that doesn't mean it can (or should be) done. It sounds nice but there are somethings in life that are just bad decisions no matter how bad you want to "attempt" it. I get that this might sound negative. However, there is a reason why we do research and planning before just going with our gut.
yeah...it feels pretty good.
a thousand a week good..
and I've bought a boat...
from steeming..
nothing ventured nothing gained son...
that's what I tell my grandkids...
Those people will learn from their mistakes or quiting their job is what they needed to do to give 110% to steemit. I think its great that they think steemit will give them a full time income.
Me personally i would never put all my eggs in one basket so to say.
Well I am still new to the steemit community, but I think there is some truth in it to say take a long term approach, test it first and if you really can earn the same or more as in your current job on a regular basis then take the dive. On the the other hand I agree with "Don't put all your eggs in one nest".
Great stuff, I'm glad to know there's always something to think about when and if we get there, we will have the questions and concerns ahead of us with more information about where to go next.
If anything, I would advise to take it easy at work and STEEM... ride it out up until the day you do get fired... why volunteer for an additional pay cut!