Life Lesson

Last night Michael and I wrapped up the final podcast of In The Box podcast. We’ve been recording weekly for more than a year. We took a lot of ideas to the edge of reality and certainly talked about things differently. All in all, it was one of the best projects I worked on.

Here are some takeaways from it.

• I learned comedians are funny because they are truth tellers. (Episode 1)
• Some of the most creative ideas come from ideating something that is hilarious and realizing it might work. Like streaking with a sign that has your logo on it. (Episode 2)
• You know your business is in trouble when your staff doesn’t have the power to override technology. Be sure you put human interactions and control first. Everyone who works for you should have the ability to right a situation. (Episode 3)
• Michael and I still disagree on whether reading a book at the bookstore is stealing. I still don’t think it is. (Episode 5)
• All-inclusive resorts aren’t really all-inclusive. You pay for everything. The same goes for hours worked on salary. Just because you worked more than 40 hours doesn’t mean you didn’t get paid for them, you just made a lot less money. See the reality in things, but don’t hesitate to word it in a way that leaves you feeling good. (Episode 8)
• Just about every feeling you feel and action you don’t take can be sourced to your self-worth. It’s a slippery slope and we all need to work harder to feel worthy. (Episode 10)
• You are your most important asset. Treat yourself right. Emotionally. Spiritually. And even with the food you eat. (Episode 11)
• Meditation is essential to maintaining energy throughout the day. (Episode 13)
• You can’t be passionate about something until you experience it. And trying to sell something you haven’t experienced? Forget about it. (Episode 16)
• Frustration and anger might get you moving, but it won’t have you creating the best work. That comes from passion and love. (Episode 20)
• Open a channel of feedback with everyone. It’s essential to keeping things moving forward. (Episode 25)
• Credentials don’t matter when entering a new industry if you’re thinking about accolades, awards and certificates. However, having shipped great work matters immensely. (Episode 32)
• The simple solution for dealing with not getting what you want is to change what you want. Obvious. We know, but we talked about it anyway. (Episode 38)
• If you think you should bite your tongue, then bite your tongue. (Episode 46)
• Starting is easy. Do your best to finish something before starting something else, even if “finished” looks different than what you first imagined. (Episode 49)
• Take responsibility. You don’t need to ask for it or wait for it. It’s one of those “do and apologize later” things. (Episode 52)

This is a pretty short list given that Michael and I covered at least 5 topics over the span of 57 episodes, meaning we talked about more than 285 topics. Wowza.

For those inspired to start their own podcast. Here are some thoughts.

If you want to start your own podcast

1. Be ready to troubleshoot. Podcasting involves all types of technology from a media hosting site, to website, microphone, to garageband, to a working computer. Every few episodes we had tech issues we had to resolve. It’s possible. Be ready to watch a few tutorials on YouTube.
2. We saved a lot of our time by not editing our episodes. It worked. I don’t think our podcast could be any more authentic than what it was. Judge your podcast idea and decide if it’s human or if it’s professional – if it’s professional, spend the time editing.
3. Record multiple episodes ahead of time. You can easily go a month without recording if you dedicate an entire day to recording episodes. This didn’t work for Michael and I because we wanted fresh content and fresh life questions as life carried on, but it might work for you.
4. Come up with a format. Set a timeframe. Design a flow. Michael and I went in with the idea that we’ll record and figure things out as we go. That meant we recorded a handful of very long podcast episodes where we talked in circles. We hit our stride around the 27th episode and into the 30s. If you want inspiration, check those out.
5. Remember that you’re global. Local speak doesn’t really work for podcasts. Michael and I figured that out real fast.
6. Figure out ways to promote your podcast. It’ll be worth it. We always had listeners, but would have liked to have more. The only way that’s going to happen is through promoting your podcast. The pool is too full with small fish for you to standout without putting some creative marketing tactics to use… and money.
7. Know that it’s difficult to stop podcasting. It’s something you invest in and the more you invest in it the more you feel like you’re losing if you let it go. It was tough for me especially after reading this comment. 

 

Stay Positive & Catch Past Episodes Here… Until My Next Project

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If you weren’t doing what you are, what would you pay to be doing it? What would you give? What would you be willing to sacrifice to do it?

If it’s nothing or not much, then what you’re doing isn’t essential.

Do a spot check.

Are you passionate about it?

Are you good/skilled/talented at it?

Are you doing it for the greater good?

If any of those are a “no” then what you’re doing isn’t essential. You might be on track to doing what produces a “yes” for all three questions, but you won’t know until you step back and evaluate.

If you’re not doing the essential, than what are you doing?

 

Stay Positive & Do More Of What Makes You Most Happy

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Here’s an interesting test. Ask your friend or nearest co-worker what book they think you’re reading. It doesn’t have to be specific. If they just tell you a genre or a topic, that’s fine.

Their response will give you insight into how much authority you hold on a particular subject. If you’re consuming information about a specific topic, it’s likely you’re sharing it with friends, family and your sphere of social connections. (And if you’re not sharing it, what exactly are you doing with it?)

Information really is power. Not just in power to act on the information you consume, but power to get others excited about your endeavor and inspired to begin or endure their own.

Leading as well as gathering support begins with showing you care about something, deeply.

 

Stay Positive & Why Care Any Bit Less Than Deeply?

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Every habit, good or bad, has a trigger.

The process of changing a poor habit or making a good habit better isn’t in altering the behavior, it’s in altering the trigger.

When you go to the source, you can switch the behavior that follows.

Farmer’s market may currently mean cinnamon roll, but you can change it to mean fresh sweet potatoes. The alarm in the morning may trigger you to check Facebook, but switch the trigger to remind you to stretch.

It’s easy to just skip the triggers altogether; don’t go to the Farmer’s market or have a morning alarm, but easy is not the point; better is.

 

Stay Positive & Better Life Comes From Better Habits

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“Biggest Sale Ever” and “Best Coffee In The World” and “#1 Customer Service” are all hype.

Hype can help in the short-term. It’s a way of shouting at the world. It’s a way to get attention.

However, what makes hype work in the long-run (and essentially what makes a business successful) is a consistent and differentiated promise – a promise so powerful it becomes the hype.

If people aren’t excited about your promise, make a bigger promise.

 

Stay Positive & An Emotional Promise, At That

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We used to be in love with the carbs and the sweetness of cereal.

Then, what feels like overnight, cereal stopped being our breakfast go-to and steal cut oats were, yogurt parfait was, four egg-whites were. The story we wanted to tell ourselves changed and brands are trying to adjust by adding protein flakes, berries and extra this and extra that.

The problem is that while the story we now tell ourselves about breakfast has changed, the story of brands that sell product like breakfast cereal haven’t.

You can change the product to align with stories your target is telling themselves, but that doesn’t change the story you’re brand is telling. McDonald’s going into salads and parfaits doesn’t change the story McDonald’s tells. People see through it.

So you have to decide whether you’ll stick to your story and your product and see the newest story as a fad that’ll die off or you position your brand and tell a new story.

 

Stay Positive & No One Said Marketing Was Easy

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There are two variables that make for fantastic advice. Oscar Wilde once said there’s nothing to do with advice, but pass it on. For most advice, that’s true because it lacks specificity and authority.

Specificity: When you’re specific, you build your credibility. When you speak in a way that is keenly understood by the other party then they’re more likely to follow the steps you’ve set out for them. Most advice is often ambiguous, general and not at all specific.

Authority: There’s a large difference between “Hmm. Yea. It might be a good idea” and “Yes. That’s a great idea.” When giving advice, you must be clear, stern, and authoritative; that is what builds trust. When you give definitive advice, there’s no reason for the one seeking advice to check with another person.

If someone has to ask you to explain your advice or if immediately after you give it to them, they go ask another person, you didn’t give valuable advice.

They’re counting on you. Be specific. Be authoritative.

 

Stay Positive & Be Counted On

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