When Chris Cathers and I explored the launch of our new podcast, Grit Meets Growth, there were so many places to go for advice and success tips. We spent time watching videos on YouTube, reading blog posts and articles on Medium, and digging deep into the podcasting subreddits. We live in an exciting time when we have all of this information at our fingertips for free, where we can get mentored digitally by experts who have already traveled these paths.
Of all the lessons and recommendations we found, here’s the best piece of advice we received. Reaching out directly to a handful of podcasters who had been there and done that, one of them came back to us with this…
“It’s a lot of work, but as long as it’s fun, then you will keep doing it.”
They shared more with us beyond that, but that simple sentence is what we’ve kept coming back to. It wasn’t the “15 Things I Wish I Knew” video on YouTube, the “Top Five Proven Podcast Tips” blog post, or the article on “How to Grow Your Podcast to 1 Million Monthly Downloads.” To be fair, we did pick up some essential insights through all of that content, but the most valuable thing we picked up was captured in that one short sentence.
“It’s a lot of work…”
They were right. Podcasting is a lot of work, a bit more than we ever anticipated. First, there’s the initial investment in the hardware, software, and equipment. Add to that all the prep work – the branding and setting up the presence, creating the social and YouTube accounts, and preparing for the episodes to be delivered to all the podcast platforms.
You get all of that done, and then comes the real work. You shift gears, and now you’re brainstorming what topics you want to talk about and what your audience wants on their side. You get all of that settled, and then you set time aside to record. The recording gets done, and then you’re on to the editing process, preparing your content to be shared with the world. And, as all of this is going on, you’re managing your social channels and creating content to share there as well.
That’s where the second half of that sentence comes into play…
“As long as it’s fun, then you will keep doing it.”
Producing a podcast, similar to writing a blog or creating an engaging social presence, is a lot of work. And, the work is non-stop. You don’t ever reach a point where you’re done. There is no finish line. You have to keep creating. It can feel a bit exhausting from time to time.
That’s where the fun element becomes powerful. The fun is what makes all of the hard work worth it. You need to find people to create with that you enjoy, and together you need to be passionate about the content you’re making. You need to understand your podcast’s purpose and be sold out as to why that purpose matters. Whether you’re creating to entertain, inspire, educate, or interview, you need to love what you’re making as a maker. You need to love it so much that the act of making it and the excitement of it being consumed is fun for you.
Fun is what will keep you coming back to it, even in those moments when it’s demanding or challenging. It’s what will make you want to get up a little earlier or stay up a little later to prep an episode and maintain the consistency of your delivery. It will help you stay excited to record even on those days when you are too busy, too tired, or too overwhelmed by everything else that needs to get done. Fun is what will keep your fire lit.
When we launched the Grit Meets Growth podcast, our purpose was to offset some of the negative noise in the world with something positive and growth-focused. We knew if we accomplished that, the results would be fun, and they have been. Five episodes in, and working through editing the sixth, the feedback we’re receiving has made this journey fun.
That’s not to say it’s been easy. The prep work was hard. The editing can be grueling. Staying on top of social media can be challenging. The whole process can feel exhausting from time to time – it’s never-ending. And, to be honest, we know we’re just getting started. Just five episodes in, it’s already clear. If we’re going to keep going it has to be fun and we need to love it.
Then someone reaches out to say they needed to hear that message, or they were inspired by something you shared that day, and it IS fun. It makes all the work worth it, and it keeps us coming back to that simple piece of advice…
“It’s a lot of work, but as long as it’s fun, then you will keep doing it.”
The Takeaway
This advice really applies to any goal or dream you have in life. You need to be ready to do the work and keep doing it when it gets challenging – and it needs to have some element of fun. Whether you’re starting a podcast or a blog, entering a new relationship, launching a business, or trying to get fit, fun is what will help you keep showing up when things get tough. Anything worthwhile in life will be a combination of the two – hard work and fun – so be prepared for both.
Curious about the Grit Meets Growth podcast? If you’re ready to explore the power of getting uncomfortable, making things happen, and creating a magnetic life, then this is the place for you. We’ve experienced adversity, challenges, and the pressure of being entrepreneurs… Grit Meets Growth is the authentic and raw sharing of our journeys. Listen in here or on your favorite podcast platform.