Episode 121
The 2017 Show
December 29, 2017 · Mike Murphy
EP121: THE 2017 SHOW Happy New Years to all! Today is a reflection show as I look back at 2017. Episode Summary: My 5 Favorite episodes from 2017 and why. Overview and Goals of the 2017 Roadmap The results or report card for Mike Murphy LLC.
Episode Summary: A year-end reflection on 2017 — Mike’s 5 favorite episodes, a report card against the 2017 Roadmap he set back in Episode 70, and what actually got done vs. what didn’t.
What You’ll Learn
- Mike’s 5 favorite episodes of 2017 and why they stood out
- A report card on the 2017 Roadmap: simplicity in physical stuff, mindset, and business
- Content goals vs. actual output for the year, including 365 straight days of video
- Why an annual roadmap/reflection episode keeps him accountable
This is a reflection show — looking back at 2017 and how the year measured up against the 2017 Roadmap laid out back in January.
Favorite Episodes of 2017
- The Personal Brand Shows (Episode 82 & Episode 83) — thorough episodes Mike worked hard on and was proud of.
- The Simplify Show (Episode 91) — 2017 was the year of decluttering mind and space, and this one got a lot of listener feedback from people wanting to do the same.
- The Dead Show (Episode 95) — a trip to Boston and talking about his favorite band, always an easy, fun one to make.
- The Irma Show (Episode 106) — storytelling isn’t something Mike considered a strength, but this one came together well and got strong positive feedback.
- The Self-Doubt Show (Episode 110) — another storytelling episode, built around favorite memories on the river in Colorado. This one held special meaning.
Overall, Mike was happy with the quality of the content even though dedicating consistent time to podcasting alongside other projects was a real struggle. Showing up week after week isn’t easy, but there was good material in every episode — and that’s what mattered most.
The 2017 Roadmap: Simplicity Report Card
The theme for 2017 was simplicity across the board — clutter-free, intentional, focused. Quote for the year: “Take what you need and leave the rest” — The Band.
- Physical stuff: Sold gear on Facebook Marketplace and purged anything unused from the house, studio, and daily environment. Real positive effect from less clutter. Grade: Pass.
- Mindset: Leaned on the Sanskrit concept of Santosha — total satisfaction, not desiring more than the fundamentals and doing one’s best. Paid almost no attention to what others were doing, stayed confident in the path, and moved with no regrets. Grade: Pass.
- Business simplicity & focus: The roadmap’s priorities were generating steady income, building up podcastertoolkit.co, and becoming a “super-teacher” through tutorials and classes. Results were mixed — financial goals fell short and podcastertoolkit.co barely moved, but content-tutorial goals were far exceeded, and Murphy Concierge launched as a promising new side hustle. Grade: Satisfactory (needs improvement).
Video, Social, and Writing Report Card
- Video priorities: Increase livestreaming, sharpen video editing/workflow, make promo and motivational videos. Livestreaming goals came up short, but plenty of good promo videos and brand animations got made along the way, plus a lot of sunsets shared live on Facebook. Grade: Pass.
- Social media priorities: Push Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Still not a LinkedIn fan, but cleaned up the profile and made connections; went strong on Instagram and Facebook. Grade: Pass.
- Writing priorities: Stay consistent on Medium.com — Grade: Pass. Write a book — Grade: Skipped class.
Content Output vs. Goals
- Podcast & newsletter: Goal was 1/week — hit every single week without missing one since starting in 2015.
- Tutorials & YouTube: Goal was up to 2/week — crushed it with 365 videos in the year, without missing a single day.
- Articles: Goal was up to 2/week — stayed consistent on Medium.com.
- Social media: Goal was Instagram 7 days/week, live video 3x/week — never missed a day on Instagram or Facebook, though live video specifically came up short (Instagram Stories carried the load instead).
- Products: Goal was 4 Skillshare classes, 1 personal class, 1 book — result: zero.
Conclusion
The year of simplicity earns a passing grade overall. It was the hardest Mike has ever worked on personal development, creativity, and business goals — financial success didn’t fully materialize, but real strides were made: a cleaner workspace, less stuff, a phone with only the apps he actually uses. Storytelling skills sharpened through Instagram Stories and the podcast itself, with plans to build on that further in 2018 — covered in Episode 122.