Podcasting is a creative and rewarding skill, but it also comes with many challenges and uncertainties. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned podcaster, you need to have resilience to overcome obstacles, cope with stress, and adapt to changing situations. In this article, we will explore how you can develop and use resilience to succeed as a podcasting professional.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficulties and setbacks, and to maintain a positive outlook and a growth mindset. Resilience is not a fixed trait that you either have or don't have; it is a skill that you can learn and improve with practice and support. Resilience can help you deal with the common challenges of podcasting, such as technical issues, negative feedback, audience fluctuations, and creative blocks.
Resilience embodies the anchor for podcasting professionals striving in the dynamic industry, offering the strength to overcome setbacks and adapt to constant change. It guides them through challenges, fostering innovation in content creation and mental fortitude against burnout. Resilience transforms failures into opportunities for growth, encouraging a culture of continuous improvement and unwavering focus on long-term goals, ensuring sustained success in the competitive podcasting landscape.
Building resilience as a podcaster requires the implementation of certain strategies and habits. To begin, set realistic and specific goals for your podcast and take the time to celebrate your progress. Additionally, seek feedback and learn from mistakes rather than dwelling on them or avoiding them. It is important to surround yourself with supportive and constructive people, such as mentors, peers, and listeners, who can offer encouragement and challenge you to grow. Additionally, take care of physical and mental health through adequate sleep, exercise, nutrition, and relaxation. Finally, diversify income streams and skills by exploring different monetization options, collaborating with other podcasters, and learning new tools and techniques.
When I started my podcast, I read somewhere that over 50% of podcast stop before reaching episode 10. What got me past that milestone, was telling myself that I overcame already a bigger challenge which is starting the podcast. Remember where you come from and all the great things you did already. There is no reason for not doing it again.
I’ve been podcasting since 2012 and have seen the ebbs and flows of trends, pop culture influences, thought leadership platforms, personal journey stories all the way through shows where every episode is a pitch fest! Building resilience begins with a reminder that your life has shown you proof you can do hard things (and) everything doesn’t have to be hard. Be consistent- Be compassionate to yourself when you can’t. Honor your focus- Allow yourself to evolve which means your show will too. Prioritize your due diligence if you interview other humans. If you don’t prepare it shows and they have to do the heavy lifting which minimizes YOUR impact. Remember you can replace a tech glitch by replacing the file ?? With love- ??????
Resilience can be a great tool for not only overcoming challenges, but also for capitalizing on opportunities and creating value. To enhance your podcasting performance and experience, you could experiment with new ideas and formats, embrace change and uncertainty as catalysts for innovation, leverage your strengths and passions, seek new challenges and learning opportunities, and share your stories and insights to inspire others. All of these actions can help you align your podcast's purpose and vision with your own, expand your network and influence, and create a meaningful impact.
Resilience is not a fixed quality, but rather a dynamic and personal one. To measure your resilience, you can reflect on your behavior and ask for feedback from others. Some questions that may help you assess your resilience include: how do you manage stress and pressure? How do you react to criticism and failure? How do you approach change and ambiguity? How do you balance your work and life? And how do you develop as a podcaster?
One technique I encourage our clients to use for measuring resilience is to bring awareness back to your body after navigating an energy shifting challenge. Self body scan from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet and ask yourself where do you feel light vs where you feel heavy. Jot down what body part you felt either light or heavy and give it a number 1-10 (1 is extremely heavy and need medical help where 10 is extremely light as if I’m disconnected there. Ideally you want to be between 7-8 (grounded, healthy, light and present). Compare your scales by using a dedicated note in your phone or notebook and review every 3-4 weeks. See how fast you’re bouncing back and how much better you’re managing. With love-??????
Resilience is not a destination, but rather an ongoing journey. To improve your resilience, you should regularly review your goals and achievements and adjust them as needed. Additionally, seek feedback and mentorship from others, and implement their suggestions. Surround yourself with positive and diverse people, and learn from their experiences and viewpoints. Don't forget to take care of your well-being, and seek help when needed. Diversify your sources of income and satisfaction, as well as explore new opportunities and collaborations. Podcasting can be a rewarding skill if you have the resilience to succeed. Through building and using resilience, you can overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and create value with your podcast. You can measure and improve your resilience by reflecting on your actions and reactions, as well as by seeking feedback and support from others.
Consider you are much more adept at building resilience when you are well rested, accept yourself, honor yourself, deepen connection with yourself, (and) play more… With love- ??????