Too many people are thinking about starting a podcast and never do it. Like if you have been saying it for the past three years, seriously just start your podcast already.
I would say that before you even worry about the microphone or any of that stuff – though that is important – you should first decide on the name of your podcast. Then, just write down the
first episode.
Ask yourself:
- What is your first episode?
- What are you going to talk about?
I feel like a lot of people get stuck because they overthink what it’s going to be. I think if you’re going to start a podcast, you’re in it for the long haul. You’re going to have to come up with a lot of ideas.
Give yourself permission to create the first episode or three episodes knowing they are probably going to be bad. Like they’re probably not going to be the best episodes. That’s okay!
You’re going to go back to your first episode after you’ve done 10, 20, or 50, and look back to your first one and think, “Oh my gosh, I’m so embarrassed. That was horrible.”
But it doesn’t matter.
Don’t get stuck in strategy mode – just go for it!
I think a lot of people get really stuck in the process of the strategy. Instead, remember that it’s all about the reps.
You do the first episode, you learn, and you get feedback. Then, you do the second episode, and you learn and get feedback. You just keep getting better and better and better!
If you haven’t started one, this is your time. You’re going to create the name of it and you are going to just create your first episodes.
Ask yourself – “What do I feel so passionate about that I think I need to be behind the microphone sharing this message?”
If you don’t feel that strongly about something, you’re not going to want to do it every week because you’re just not going to be excited to talk about that specific topic.
You’re not going to be excited to sit down and figure out what to say. Once you do however, you just kind of get hooked.
Set a goal for yourself to put in the work
Starting a podcast is just like when people ask me about the writing process and writing a book. It’s literally sitting down, and giving yourself a goal. When I wrote my book I did what a lot of people do. I put it off because it seems like a big project, just like a podcast.
If you think about a hundred episodes, that’s a lot. Yes, that’s a big project. But, you can do one episode. You can do one episode.
It’s the same with writing the book – you can write 250 words today. That’s it. That’s all you have to do is write 250 words. Then tomorrow you write 250 words. Sometimes you sit down to write 250 words and you end up writing 500, a thousand words, just like in podcasting.
Sometimes I sit down to record one podcast and I think, oh, I could do another episode because I’m on a roll and I get another episode in.
The point is, you sit down and you do the work. Whatever habit you have to create that gets you in your seat at the same time, whether it’s every week, every day, whatever it is that makes it so you’re able to actually create.
Don’t wait for inspiration! You’re creating the inspiration by actually sitting down and making it more of a practice and process than outcome.