Launching a Podcast When You’re a Perfectionist

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Perfectionism holds many back from launching a podcast

Laura: Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. I’m Your host, Laura McRae, a podcast consultant, educator, and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go.

Laura: Hello and welcome back to Podcasting for Business Owners, the podcast that helps you share your story and lead your industry and grow your network through podcasting. I’m, your host, Laura McRae, and today we’re talking about a topic that holds so many people back from launching their podcast. Perfectionism. Whether it’s the fear of not getting it right, worrying about how you sound, or being stuck on all the little details, perfectionism can keep you from ever hitting publishers. But your first episode won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. We’re going to talk about how to move past those fears and start your podcast anyway.

Perfectionism shows up in different ways when it comes to podcasting

Now let’s talk about the mindset challenges that come up when you’re thinking about starting a podcast. If you’ve ever felt stuck in perfectionism or overwhelmed by what’s involved, you’re not alone. I’ve seen it time and time again with my clients, and if I’m being honest, even with myself. I had a client who’s a national TV and radio presenter, and even she was nervous to launch her podcast. She’s a perfectionist and felt this immense pressure to get it just right because the industry that she’s in. But that fear was holding her back from starting, just like it does for so many of us. Even the best get nervous. Perfectionism shows up in different ways when it comes to podcasting. Maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking things like, what if I sound unprofessional? What if no one listens? Or, what if people judge me? What if I don’t know what to say and totally freeze? What if I can’t keep up with a weekly schedule? Or am I expert enough to speak on this topic? I’ve had all these faults too. To this day, I still script every single solo episode because I’m terrified that I’ll sit behind the mic and forget what I wanted to say. I’d love to be able to show up without a script, but that, fear of going blank still gets me. And when it comes to interviews, I also over plan. I send my guests a list of questions beforehand to make sure we stay on track. But I know that sometimes it’s better to just go with the flow. But I’m worried I won’t Be able to go with the flow. And then I’ve got my questions there as backup just in case. What I’ve learned is that your podcast will never be perfect. And that’s okay. The only way to get good is to just start messy and figure it out along the way. If you wait until it’s perfect, you’ll be waiting forever. If you listen to episode four, I chat with voice coach Sally Prosser. She says something that really stuck with me. Sally doesn’t take on clients who want to perfect their voice before they launch a podcast. She tells them to launch first and come back to her later because she doesn’t want to be their excuse for not starting their podcast. That’s because you’ll learn so much by just doing the work. Your first few episodes will feel a little shaky and that’s totally fine. Just think back to the first time you tried anything new, whether it was learning to drive, starting a new workout routine, or launching a business. It’s always messy at the beginning, but the more you practise, the easier it gets. One of the biggest fears I hear from clients is that, no one will listen. And honestly, that fear is real. When I launched my podcast, I remember checking the stats for an episode and seeing 10 downloads. Not exactly the roaring success I was hoping for. But I didn’t let it stop me. Podcasting is a long game. Your podcast will grow over time as you show up consistently and share valuable content. You’ll get better with each episode and so will your audience growth. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to start your podcast, this is your permission to stop waiting. Just start. Your first episode won’t be perfect, but that’s not the point. You’ll learn as you go and you’ll be so glad you did. And if you’re thinking I’m ready, but I just need a little support with the steps to actually launch, then check out the Podcast Launch programme. It’s a self paced online course that walks you through every step of launching your podcast, from choosing your concept to hitting publish. It’s perfect for getting everything set up without the tech overwhelm so that you can just focus on creating. I’ll put the link in the show notes. Thanks so much for listening. I hope this episode resonated with you.

Laura: Until next week, Happy podcasting.

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Laura: Would be even better.

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