Hey everyone, I've been quiet the last couple days, but came back to see that I am over 300 followers!! ![300.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmc46gWBASuG62UZfDEqbSmqRGRTczd1QYo45ndV6QV3a5/300.jpg) I have seen a few others talking about how they aren't fans of "milestone" posts, but I disagree. I believe that milestones posts are great. I get inspiration from seeing others reach milestones, and it helps me to make goals of my own.
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I really have not been active here in Steemit for very long, and the first milestone post I think I saw was @aggroed 's where he had reached a thousand followers (just last month). It is reading about other's successes on Steemit that sparks my imagination, and keeps me motivated to continue even when my posts only make a couple of dollars each (or less).. @aggroed now has over 3000 followers, wow! How many people are on the #minnowsupportproject [discord channel](https://discord.gg/ycBuHnf) now? 2000? I have lost track. ![minnnow2whale2.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZkRKVCxF8nDWB7F6NyLFUTS8wB2tAXmxFpZFcZwxbMFi/minnnow2whale2.jpg) My point is, that milestone posts stand out as beacons to inspire us along our paths.
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Not only did I cross a milestone this week, but other changes in Steemit are really starting to get noticed. Namely, that the number of viewers per post and the number of votes per post have dropped drastically. This, along with the rewards pool draining has made the competition for a piece of the prize pool very fierce. I read a post today from a Steemian who was used to receiving $30-$130 per post a couple of weeks ago, who is now struggling to reach $5 per post. I can understand how demoralizing that would be. I hope she refocuses and sticks with it! We are not sure what the final effects of HF19 will end up being, but if it doesn't work as intended, the community will find a solution. It is way to early to give up now. The Steem-train hasn't even left the station!
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It is during times where we are facing setbacks, that we can use goal setting to help ourselves get through it. I really like the [Steem Whales](https://steemwhales.com/) tool to help me maintain my focus when I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels. Here you can see my rewards chart: ![rewards chart.PNG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZ3L6rLTebe2Kjp3m7phyZ5i7hDTU7uwie117MxrWSj1K/rewards%20chart.PNG) Instead of watching how much an individual post makes, I watch that my rewards are going up every day, and then make a goal about how much I would like that to be. If I am not reaching it, maybe I have to post more often, or talk about more popular subjects, or maybe use better first photographs. Don't get me wrong, I would be ecstatic if a post were to break the three digit mark (and I will try to identify why it did), I just won't be too upset if it doesn't. I am happy with slow and steady, and here is where I can track it.
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The other great thing about [Steem Whales](https://steemwhales.com/), is the ability to search and display your rank. This is also an incredible tool for goal setting: Here is where my account ranks based on estimated value: ![rank.PNG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmarUBybquiFzV4qw6fAsrKgUsJS82wfhgCVnTw2zv8E11/rank.PNG) Two days ago, I was ranked 1414, so this tells me that I am improving not only my account value, but the value in relation to the other Steemit accounts. This is an important metric, you want to see yourself moving through the ranks, as it is literally showing your progression into a bigger fish! I have made a goal about what rank I should be next week, month, year, etc.. You can compare yourself on any of the measures you see on the top of the page, depending on your goals. Great stuff! Thank you @heimindanger for building this great tool for the community.
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Finally, don't forget the most important things about Steemit: Have fun, help others, comment on and upvote the type of content you like seeing, and make friends! A new friend with common interests could be much more rewarding than your payout on a few posts!!
![thankyou.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmayqRxRxvoTGkJ7jmVJKTRf5RgimMW221S3thH4hmQPB7/thankyou.jpg)