Success on Hive has to be worked for. I made hardly anything in the early days (8 years ago), but it could still be fun. You have to find the people who want to engage and who share your interests. If you just chase the money then it can be too much like hard work. As you say, it takes time, but I think it is worth the effort.
There's also !BEER
Definitely worth the effort when you find others who become good friends over time as you do get to know them. Hive was a proper challenge regarding growth for myself and it took a really long time to get to feeling comfortable. You do stop thinking about growth and it and it becomes a place of fun.