There is very little chance of long-term success at Steem unless one chooses to be part of the community and a community within the ecosystem.

Engagement is one of the critical elements to success on Steemit. You're right that it can be difficult to find the right group, but normally networking with friends of friends will yield results.

I just hit minnow status after (just shy of) six months and it was a long journey. In the last three months I've started plugging in more with #steemsilvergold, a group of precious metals enthusiasts. That community has been what's been driving my engagement as of late.

Whatever your tastes or preferences, there is probably a group for whomever joins Steemit, it's just a matter of getting plugged in with them. Maybe we'll get "communities" one of these days and discovery will be easier. Until then, it's important to just keep reading articles, commenting, and working to find where we fit.