One of the biggest reasons that podcasters fail is because the motivation to keep going has fizzled out, and fizzled out quickly. So, how does one stay motivated to keep podcasting? This is a question that most long-time podcasters face at least once in their podcasting journey. And it’s okay to feel a little discouraged sometimes, in fact, it’s completely normal.
If you’ve reached the stage of podcasting where you’re no longer passionate or you’ve just changed as a person and now you’re simply going through the motions because you have a great audience and you don’t want to let them down, then it might be time to find a little motivation. Sometimes all you need to find the motivation to keep podcasting is a brand new point of view or even just a little push, like someone saying it’s time to spice things up. Keep in mind that finding new motivation won’t be easy. In fact, it might be exactly the challenge you need to get that fire burning again.
If you’ve been podcasting for so many years on end without so much as a holiday then it might be time to take a step back (just for a short period of time) and re-evaluate yourself and your reasons for why you started your podcast in the first place. To get you started on your search for a little extra motivation, here are 8 strategies to help you to not only find your motivation once again but keep it this time!
1. Refocus on Your Goals
Think back to when you started your podcast; what was that specific goal you had in mind, that milestone you wanted to achieve? Most of all, what was the reason you started the podcast in the first place? Whether it was to share your story with a community who could relate or simply to makes the top 10 podcast list on Apple Podcasts, whatever your goals were, all that matters is that you ask yourself if you’ve truly achieved them.
If you can say yes with an honest heart, then it might be time for you to create a new dream. This time you can dream even bigger than what you thought was possible for the first time. But if you haven’t achieved what you set out to achieve then there’s just one thing you need to hear: “Don’t give up on your dreams.” You can achieve anything you set your mind to. You just might need to refocus on your goals and change your strategy for how you will achieve it. When you refocus on your goals, your motivation to create great content and put your best foot forward on your podcasting journey will be much easier to come by. So never lose sight of why you started in the first place!
Related read: 5 Reasons to Quit Your Podcast
2. Engage with Your Audience
If you have a podcast then your audience is most likely a very important part of your decision-making process. This means that you need to understand everything about your audience including how you are helping them. What kind of value are you giving them? Are you just providing content for the sake of getting content published or are you creating content based on what your listeners need? Sometimes it is a lot easier to keep going because of the people you’re doing it for rather than doing it for yourself.
Of course, you may have started your podcast for your own reasons – such as being a successful podcaster and becoming an expert in your field. However, once you have gained an audience there is nothing like that sense of community and support to keep you motivated to become even better at what you do. Engaging with your audience is a powerful motivator to help you feel like you are connected to something bigger than yourself. They are the reason you get up and do what you do every day. If you are influencing even just one person to have a better day, then it is totally worth it. So go ahead, reach out to your listeners, get them involved in the podcast, and your motivation will skyrocket!
Relate read: 7 Strategies for Building a Strong Podcast Community
3. Take a Break
Sometimes the best way to gain a fresh motivation for something is to simply take a break from it! If you’ve been doing your podcast non-stop since the day you launched, then perhaps it’s time for you to take a well-deserved break. Often times motivation is found when you give yourself a new perspective and focus on something different for a change. Some of the best things for fresh inspiration is to go out into the world and gain some new experiences. These experiences create new stories and give you meaning to your life, something you can then share with your audience.
Now, this does not mean you need to turn your back on your podcast and disappear off the face of the earth. This just means taking a break! In fact, a great way for you to take a break is to end off the “season” of your podcast and let your listeners know to look out for the next season to come. Another way to get in a few podcast-vacation days is to bring back some of your all-time favorite episodes and let them publish as re-runs for a week or two. Take this time to go off-the-grid, refresh your mind, and find that renewed motivation that you are looking for.
Related read: The Benefits and Challenges of Starting Multiple Podcasts
4. Stay Active
We all get those days when all you want to do is to stay at home in our pajamas all day, and that is completely fine. If it continues from there and turns into an entire week where you haven’t left the house or your office, then you will most definitely lose motivation and start to see your work in a very negative light. That is why it is so important that you get outside for some fresh air and exercise. This is especially true for those of us who work from home or are stuck inside recording podcasts all day. There’s nothing like a change of scenery to help you get some new motivation for your show.
Getting out of your workspace and being active will help to increase your creativity levels as well as increasing endorphins, which will most certainly make you feel better about your work. Staying active, even if it’s just taking a walk around the block, taking your dog to the park, or even venturing out to go grocery shopping. This will give you the boost you need and provide enough motivation so you can get out of the rut you’re in.
5. Don’t Procrastinate
One of the most detrimental things for your productivity is procrastination! This is definitely something that most people do, but also the worst possible thing you can do when you have already lost that most-needed motivated. Procrastinating doesn’t have to be big things like visiting friends or cleaning. Often times when we have a lot of work to get through or quite a few episodes to record and edit, it might just seem easier to avoid it all and focus your attention on something else. The worst kinds of procrastination are those little activities that you’re mostly unaware of, like checking your social media platforms, online shopping, or binge-watching a few episodes on Netflix. So step one: be aware of these distractions and try to focus on your work instead.
When the feeling of no motivation hits you, instead of procrastinating why not try and push through it. It might be the harder option but it is also the option that provides you with completed work that you can be proud of. So instead of looking for other things to do instead of working, just sit down behind your laptop and create that content. Because once you’re finished with your work, you will realize that you had enough motivation all along, it was just hidden for a while. Don’t let procrastination steal your motivation!
Related read: How to Be More Productive When Podcasting From Home
6. Practice Gratitude
When motivation is low it is time to remember to celebrate the small things in life! Because life is made up of moments and if you don’t appreciate them then they will just fade into the background instead of becoming a beacon of motivation. When you succeed in something and you celebrate it then it will become another motivator. You’ll find yourself saying things like, “You’ve come this far,” or, “You’ve already achieved this,” or, “I did this, so I can overcome this challenge too!”
There’s nothing quite as motivating as getting outside of yourself and practicing gratitude for what you have been able to achieve thus far. This also includes being grateful for your audience and the support they continuously give you. Show them how important they are to you and say thank you whenever you can. Remember that your audience is your community, so celebrate your success with them. Share the glory with them, thank them for being willing to listen and make your show the success it is today. They are your true motivators, so draw on them for their ever-willing support!
Related read: 6 Ways to Create Loyal Podcast Fans
7. Create New Experiences
As many of us know, life is made up of the experiences you create. And when you find yourself low on motivation, often times the cure if going out and creating new experiences to fuel the story of your life. Changing things up a little is a sure way to get your excitement back and at the same time showing your audience that you are still the same motivated, excited podcaster as you were when you started. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should completely overhaul and change your entire podcast; it simply means you should try adding in a few new things to the existing show.
When you’re busy with content creation think about a few bazaar ideas of what might be fun to try and definitely get some feedback or input from your audience on what they might like to hear that’s never been done on the show before. This can be anything from inviting new guests to your show, even daring to invite a few famous people if you get that chance. You could also spend more time growing your relationship with your audience, organize a few meetups every few months or so, just to touch base with them and listen to their needs and ideas. Luckily with podcasting changing so much and growing by the day, there are many ideas out there for you to choose from. All you have to do is a little bit of research and get that motivation back!
Related read: Should My Podcast be a Video Podcast?
8. Take On a Challenge
One of the most common ways of losing your motivation is if you become bored and have nothing to work for. But luckily there is a surefire way to get rid of any boredom and to get your motivation back in no time. And that is simply to find something new that will challenge you! Set a new goal for yourself, challenging yourself to work just a little bit harder and maybe entering different aspects of podcasting that you have yet to explore. For example, if marketing your podcast hasn’t been a strong suit, then perhaps challenge yourself to set a goal to improve your social media reach and engagement with your listeners.
Keep in mind that this challenge can also be one in your personal life because feeling good at home will help you to feel good in other aspects of your life as well. Setting a new challenge for yourself will mean that you’ll have to move out of your comfort zone and work towards something that you have yet to achieve in your life. Perhaps you can even set a new challenge that is something you can share with your audience! Allow them to follow your journey and see you handle the ups and downs on your road to success. This is sure to spark your motivation and even pull your audience in alongside you for the new adventure.
Related read: How To Revamp Your Podcast for the New Year
