This whole post has turned into a troll post, when I ONLY WANTED SERIOUS RESPONSES....

Justin, All of these replies are serious replies... Christopher Stacy and myself are both Instructors and we are trying to convey what it takes to become an I1.

Here is the story of John. John is a VATSIM controller. John has his S2 rating and comes to the realization that if he works hard enough and passes another OTS, his next step is S3. A few months later John has his C1 rating and wrongfully assumes that I1 is the next step in a "line" of promotions so he feels entitles to the position. John has fallen victim to the same idea that many VATSIM controllers end up believing. John never becomes an I1. Now, here is the story of Bill. Bill is a VATSIM controller. Bill has his C1 rating and is an active controller who thinks he may want to give back to the ARTCC and start teaching. Bill asks his TA if he can be a mentor, he receives the mentor status and works hard over the course of a few months (the important thing to realize is that he never ASKS to be an I1). Bill is approached by the TA who asks him if he would like to take the next step in his training career and become an I1 because he has worked hard as a mentor.

The moral of the story you ask? Instructing and teaching is NOT a "step" on the latter, it is something that you do in parallel to the rest of your controlling.

-Chase