The Healthy Way To Deal With Doubts About Your Podcast

PPS3E37 The Healthy Way To Deal With Doubts About Your Podcast - Transcript

[00:00:00] You know that little voice inside your head, raising nagging suspicions about some aspect of your podcast. It's probably there for a reason and you should probably give it voice

Hello and welcome to another podcast. Pontifications with me, Evo, Tara. Blessed is the pod caster who harbors no doubts about their podcast for, they are truly [00:00:30] a divine being and a mythical being because let's face it. We all have doubts about our podcast doubts and suspicions about the things we do for the public are normal.

We all have them every podcast or even the most successful podcasters in the world. Have some doubts about some aspect of the podcast episodes they're producing something. And I mean, [00:01:00] every one of them, right? This gets back to imposter syndrome, which I've talked about many times on the program. The imposter syndrome is felt by every single human on the planet, except maybe for sociopaths or psychopaths.

But assuming you're not one of those. You're going to have this imposter syndrome. You're going to feel like things are wrong and doubts and suspicions are a portion of that. We get that. Now, when I'm talking about doubts and suspicions, I mean that nagging thing in the back of your mind going, I, [00:01:30] that thing isn't quite what I want it to be totally mean that, and I'm going to give you some suspicions and ways to deal with them.

But first at the intro of the podcast I use the word should and the word should. Psychologists tell us is a bad word. So I'm not talking about those nagging things that you think you should be doing. I'm not talking about all those things in the back of your mind, where you go, Oh man, I really should be marketing more.

I really should be doing this. And I really [00:02:00] should know kill the word should, should is a bad word. I'm trying my best to get rid of it. Even though I use it in the intro should is a bad word. No, I'm talking about things that. Not these, uh, you know, nebulous. I wonder if no, no, no, no. I'm talking about real suspicions.

Here's some examples of what, I mean, maybe you've got a sneaking suspicion that your podcast episodes are too long that you're losing people because of the length of [00:02:30] time you're doing it. Or maybe the opposite of that. You maybe you're having a nagging suspicion that your podcast episodes are too short.

Maybe you've edited out all of the humanity in your show. Perhaps you think that the episodes you are producing aren't of a high enough quality either because you don't have the right equipment or you're not using the equipment that you have properly, or that you're just not spending enough time making it nice and polished nagging suspicion, maybe you think [00:03:00] you have a nagging suspicion that your episodes are boring, either boring overall, or maybe there are certain segments.

Certain bits that get a little too long and a little too boring. And you, you have this nagging suspicion that some of your audience might think that your content is a little boring. Maybe you've are really worried about running out of content. Maybe you've got the suspicion that, wow, I've got this many episodes planned and what am I going to do after that?

That's a nagging [00:03:30] suspicion that we, many of us have, especially those with it produce content forward a days a week. Speaking of that, maybe the frequency. Maybe you've had a suspicion, the frequency of which you release episodes is not what it ought to be. That it's either you're releasing things. Not often enough, you're only doing monthly because that's all the time you have.

And you know, your audience wants more or the opposite of that. Maybe you're producing content for, I don't know, let's say four days a week, and you're afraid that you're overloading your [00:04:00] people with content. Those are all valid suspicions that might be in the back of your mind. Either when you're not thinking about your podcast or when you actually are in the middle of your podcast.

As I said earlier, those nagging suspicions, those doubts are normal and real. And the healthy way to deal with them is to give them voice, not to squash them, not to quiet them. Although there are people who advocate for that, but I would suggest to you. That when these [00:04:30] repetitive nagging suspicious nagging suspicions and doubts, raised their ugly head, that you give them voice.

And by that, I mean talk about them. Sure. If you want to talk about them on your show and share them and give them, give voice to them with your audience, that might be a plugable, but I would exercise caution. Anytime you ask your audience for [00:05:00] a response, the ones that are going to respond or want to be your true hardcore fans.

And if we know one thing about what true and hardcore fans want it's that they want more. So keep in mind that your doubts and suspicions might not match the people who respond to you. On your show and your audience might not really have an opinion at the same, that is yours, or that would get you in the right direction.

So you can do that, but just be wary of what you're going to get. [00:05:30] You can give voice to your doubts and suspicions by talking to your peer group. If you don't have a collection of podcasters who do something similar to you, I highly recommend you build one. It doesn't have to be huge. Just three or four people who you can turn to who Reese, who you respect and also respect you.

Maybe they do the same kinds of shows that you do. Same kinds of episodes, maybe not, but just other podcasters who are similar to you, you need a good peer group and voice [00:06:00] your concerns to them. Tell them what you are thinking that you're worried about and get their reaction to them. You can also go to the online communities, which is a much larger peer group.

Again, I'm going to exercise caution with that because, well, you don't really get a chance to vet the people that are in those online communities. So are there goals in line with yours? Do they have a similar level of experience? Do they know the things, same things that, you know, [00:06:30] go ahead and ask, but keep in mind, you're talking to the peanut gallery.

Now, people who may have never heard of you or your show, or have any idea of what you're doing. So the responses you get may not be helpful. Although the great thing about online commuters is that you get a lot of varied and wide opinions. So sure. If you are engaged in online communities, share your doubts there, express those and see what kind of answers you get.

And lastly, don't neglect the [00:07:00] people who support you in real life. Maybe they're not even podcast listeners, as we all know, it's very hard to get your friends and family to listen to your own podcast. That's okay. But you can still go to this support group that is made up of your family and friends to share your doubts and suspicions.

Now they're not going to be able to help you too much if you're worried about frequency, if you were to, for your episodes are too long or those sorts of technical things, but if it's more. I don't know, existential, if it's [00:07:30] more, they're going to better understand your own psyche and why you're doing the podcast in the first place and what you're trying to do, they probably know more about your personality.

So even talking to them, you might find quite helpful. And more importantly, you find that a healthy way to deal with the doubts you're having right now about your podcast. Now, if you do one thing after listening to this episode, It is go tell one other podcast or about this [00:08:00] episodes or this entire show podcast.

Pontifications the only way this show grows is by word of mouth when working podcasters like yourself, share the show with other working podcasters. So please. Tell a friend. And if you do two things after listening to this show, the second is go to buy me a coffee.com/evo Terra, and sign up to become a member members, have some perks as well as it's a nice thing to show me that you enjoy these philosophical deep [00:08:30] dives into the future, a podcast in which I am putting out for you four days a week.

So that's it enjoy the rest of your day and I shall be back tomorrow with yet another podcast. Pontifications cheers.

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