Waiting Until For The Pandemic To End To Start A Podcast Will Be Your Biggest Regret

Now that the world is operating at 50%, I continue to hear from podcasters who tell me, "When the pandemic is over I am going to start my podcast."

The first thing I think when I hear that statement is, "If you already know you want to start the podcast, what are you waiting for? Why don't you get started on it now?"

I've also heard from people who continue to watch my videos and get inspired to improve upon their skills so they can re-boot their podcast to come back stronger than ever.

Before I go any further, I want to share a quick story that will hopefully inspire you to work on the weaker areas of your podcasting...

WORKING THROUGH PAIN TO INSPIRE GROWTH

If you didn't know, a few weeks ago I sprained my ankle walking down one of my favorite paths close to my house. I wish the story was juicier, but I was just walking down the path and rolled my ankle on the edge of the pavement into the dirt. Shan Man DOWN!

As I sat there, collected myself and waited for the initial pain to fade, I immediately went into "proactive" mode. I started to think about what I could do to heal my ankle after I've rested it for a week. Since gyms were closed, weight training would be out and cardio was a definite no-no. But one thing that kept coming up when it came to getting exercise was yoga.

All I kept hearing from my friends was that yoga was no joke and holding poses not only strengthens your body, but it also strengthens the joints and ligaments.

After hearing testimonial after testimonial about yoga, I kept saying, "Yeah, I need to do it when I have more time away  from my normal routine."  

Since the universe finds hilarity in most things, it found the perfect opportunity for me to stop making excuses. So, on that day when I was clutching my ankle, I knew it was time to start practicing yoga. 

When I decided to start yoga, I was doing it with the full intention of healing my ankle faster.  But there's one thing I have learned in the month that I have been practicing basic yoga moves:

I've re-learned how to be more intentional with my movements, find more grace in movements and concentrate more on my breathing.  In fact, up until a few days ago I wasn't very focused on my work and I've discovered I have more concentration.  The last time I felt this was probably years ago when I rediscovered nutrition and exercise.

HOW THIS APPLIES TO THE PODCASTER ON DELAY

As of this post, we have been in a "shutdown" mode for nearly 10 weeks.  That's 10 weeks you've had to start getting the ball rolling on the launch or re-brand of your podcast.  What's more poignant is that you can't use the end of the pandemic to say you will get the ball rolling.

If there has ever been a better time to start a podcast, it's right now for these reasons:

• Flesh out the podcast ideas to start making them whole.
• Gather and learn the equipment so that your recordings aren't botched on the first episode.
• Learn how to use the recording software so you won't spend HOURS of time trying to figure it out later. 
• You can start learning new skills like social media marketing or graphic design so you can learn exactly how to promote your podcast.

ARE YOU REALLY TAKING ACTION?

Even if you haven't re-launched a podcast or re-organized elements of your podcast because you haven't found the time, ask yourself, "What are the exact steps I need to take to make this happen?"

I get it. Sometimes it's hard just trying to figure out where to start.  This is where I would recommend writing every single idea out on a piece of paper instead of committing it to memory.  If you say you're going to remember, I promise you that you will forget when the thought passes by.  Sure, that same idea may come up throughout the day, but nothing puts a better timeline on getting something done than having it written down on a piece of paper and taking action on it.

When you write in a notebook, you're going to find that you have SO MANY IDEAS that it's going to seem daunting just to get those tasks done.

Remind yourself that each task you've set for yourself may be daunting, but they will get done if you don't overdo it and burn out.  

Just like my ankle, the rehabilitation time is far more important for me to get back and start using my ankle again at full capacity. I may be in the beginner stages of yoga, but I'm already feeling the gains physically and mentally. Imagine when I reach the intermediate stage!

As a podcaster, this may be your time to start taking action and executing on the launch/relaunch of your podcast in small baby steps.  You have to remember that your baby steps should be a source of motivation and inspiration. 

Truly envision where you want to see your podcast going and cast that vision to become a reality.  But it all starts with writing down those tasks I mentioned.

When you complete items on your task list, you'll feel great about it.  Psychologically, it feels great to check things off a list, so do it for yourself so that you can share your podcast with the world.

DON'T OVERDO IT!

If your goal is refine your Zoom calls, shorten your editing time, practice becoming a better host, researching how other podcasters create their podcasts, then you are moving the needle forward. 

Again, don't overdo it and try to accomplish everything all at once.  There is plenty of time to get this stuff done, but remind yourself that you are moving the needle forward EVERY SINGLE DAY.

The best time to start, reboot, refine, redefine and clarify the purpose of your podcast is in the moment of NOW. 

Whether the pandemic ends tomorrow or they have to put us back into a lockdown situation, the time you spend improving yourself at any given moment will be the best investment in you and your podcast.

While everyone is out trying to cope with changing rules, take control of your life and start accomplishing your task list now. 

CAST THE VISION.

EXECUTE.

IMPROVE.

REPEAT.