I started hovering over my ranking position of 100 as, like you at the time, I feel I still have so much to learn that it would be unfair to others if I took more mentorship responsibility by climbing any higher, without being able to give my 100% towards helping other members. But yes, prior to a few days ago, it could be very easy to 'take advantage'.

Giulia

You are a person of integrity by putting other people first and helping others to achieve and meet their goals. This is a selfless act that you need to be proud of. Thank you, Tony, for sharing your experience with us. All the best in all that you do!
Adel :)

Hi Tony, I haven't been here long enough to help anyone and wasn't aware of the rank until I read about it a few days ago. I will gladly help out if I ever know the answer to a question I did try to answer one the other day but don't know if I was right or not.
Thanks for sharing with us.

Wow that's very interesting to know Tony for someone to be selflessness and want to help others with nothing in return that is the act of kindness in our country needs that so much especially right now it reminds me of my pastor at church who works very hard to make things work and he will go out of his way to help someone else when he actually needs to help himself so I am please to know that there is people out there like you I hope I can be half the successful person that you've become I have a long ways to go I've not always been & Marketing this is actually new for me but I'm a hard worker and I am thriving to succeed thanks for your help Tony

Ranking is the byproduct of helping and contributing to the community. Helping others is the cornerstone of WA. You, my friend have mastered the art of being a role model because of your helpful nature and proving that any one can achieve their dreams. Thanks Tony. You are an inspiration.

I joined WA to learn how to get a website up and running and also how to make money online, I have received a lot of advise and help from other members(greatly appreciate it), I am not worried about ranking right now, just getting the training done and my website up and running and earning money, but you are right there are individuals out there who will not help anyone unless they can receive the recognition for it. I was always taught growing up to help other people when they needed it, and you never asked for anything in return, I do not have a problem helping, but I am new to this, so I feel that right now I am not able to help, hopefully in the near future I can, just like I have received help on many occasions.

I've commented before that when there is a system in place that allows people to "compete"-- even if that is not the intended purpose-- people WILL compete. It's human nature. Some people just want to be on top. Other people, especially new members, perceive rank as a measure of status or success, and who doesn't want to be successful? When they find out later that it really doesn't help them in any way, they forget about it.

At the end of the day, though, rank won't pay your bills. I do think it serves some purpose, but I am looking forward to earning money much, much more.

Why can't a member just help someone, just to help them. Why do people need to get recognition for offering help. I was taught to help others who need help and not to expect any fanfare for helping.
Many people who help others in the big world out there do so anonymously. I am sure there a members here who also help other members and don't expect trophies for their help.
Help just for the sake of helping....give yourself a star and put on your refrigerator. PUT YOUR EGO ASIDE....when truly helping others.

John

Hey Tony, how's it going?
We joined around the same time and shot up the rankings together towards Ambassador and both achieved that status in really quick time so we both know just exactly how much time and effort it took, even to the point that doing that became almost all consuming.
Like you I held back after getting up to the number 9 spot and concentrated on other things online and not just the ambition of becoming an Ambassador.
At the time, around September 2015, I was extremely proud and humbled to achieve Ambassador status at Wealthy Affiliate and remain so to this day but realised that I needed to spend more time doing things that some might describe as more relevant to estsblishing yourself generally online.
As a consequence, my ranking dropped accordingly and others took my spot....no problem with that at all.
Over the last couple of years I've seen others rise up the rankings quickly after joining and then posting blogs about their achievements. On occasion I've posted on their blog thread offering congratulations but cautioning them, in a friendly way, about becoming consumed by their efforts to rise up the rankings whilst possibly ignoring some other fundamentals about earning an income online.
Responses to my posts regarding that have been mixed to say the least with some even hostile to my cautionary tale!!
Oh well, each to their own.
Good to see you still contributing here Tony.......continued good luck with your online adventures!
Mark

Ive always felt as long as the majority of the blogging was related to what is going on with the site, the business, your own journey online etc that it wouldn't matter, I mean if you get a lot of engagement on it - it is what it is. Your post the other day was about using the ask a question button to not really ask relevant questions right? not about blogging on the WA system. Plus those there all seem fairly relevant lol unless you were just admitting that you were trying to blog as much as possible to get your rank up super high ;p I joined before the ambassador system was in place so maybe that helps not focus on it so much. I just hope people aren't spending all their time on that instead of actually accomplishing their goals outside of WA.