It’s no secret that podcasting can get tedious, and there are times when a little dose of extra motivation is very much required. Motivation is fuel for success in anything (podcasting included) and if maintained will reap incredible rewards. If you can find a way of constantly injecting your life with motivation, I can guarantee that you’ll see the results in your podcast. Study these six key motivation boosters and reap the rewards!
1. Expect the best but prepare for the worst
Ideally, everything from start to finish will run smoothly and there will be no hiccups. Ten times out of ten this will not be the case. Remember to stay positive and visualize the best course of action, but always have a contingency plan in your back pocket for the times when things do not go to plan. Expect to hit your goals, like gaining 1000 new listeners in a month, but be ready to adapt and adjust if this doesn’t happen. There will be new and different ways that you can use to attract the listeners that you need to hit your goal.
2. Set and track goals
You’ve heard this one before, and will continue to hear it. That’s because it is very effective in all areas of life. A successful podcast is one that has reached and exceeded its goals. There’s a difference between what is realistic and what is maybe too ambitious. If a realistic goal is met, it will give a feeling of accomplishment and boost overall morale. Tracking these progresses will give yourself a map to look back on that will serve as future motivation.
3. Deconstruct the process
When a job seems too big and complex, don’t hesitate to make things easier for yourself by breaking it down into smaller tasks that can be done one step at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when presented with daunting work, but multiple smaller tasks will always be easier and simpler. I personally need to write these smaller tasks out on paper in order to simplify the process when I get overwhelmed. Finishing an episode can be broken down into tasks like: brainstorming, content gathering, recording, editing, post-production.
4. Only worry about the things in your control
Quick fact: 85 percent of what we worry about never actually happens, according to Robert L. Leahy’s The Worry Cure. In other words, most worries are just an over-active mind stressing us out for no reason at all. However, there are a few things that deserve attention and will naturally cause stress. These things can be approached with the above steps.
5. Reward yourself!
And lastly everyone’s favourite, the reward! What a great way to get that feeling of accomplishment. Once your goal is reached it is very important to make sure your mind knows that you have accomplished your task. Whether it be hitting a set number of listeners, bringing in a certain amount of monthly ad revenue, or even simpler, getting through a tough slog of editing. Everyone has their own way of rewarding themselves. Find yours and kick back! But be sure to not over do it!
