Episode 151
The 3 Year Show
September 21, 2018 · Mike Murphy
EP151: THE 3-YEAR SHOW Today is the 3rd anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged and this an update episode about change, development and creating the life you want. I have some exciting news to share with you. Episode Summary: The podcast is still on hiatus, but I created this episode: 1) To acknowledge you and the anniversary 2) Share some updates since Episode 150 3) Let you know about my new position with podcast hosting company Simplecast
Episode Summary: Marking the 3rd anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged with an update on change, development, and creating the life you want — including news of a new role with podcast hosting company Simplecast.
What You’ll Learn
- Why Mike started Mike Murphy Unplugged and what podcasting was really for him
- The value of showing up daily even when it feels like nobody’s listening
- How a personal loss and a year of decluttering shaped a decision to pause the podcast
- Landing a new role as podcast support specialist at Simplecast
Mike Murphy Unplugged started on Friday, September 25, 2015. This anniversary episode does three things: acknowledges the milestone and everyone who’s supported the show, shares updates since Episode 150, and announces a new position with podcast hosting company Simplecast.
What Is a Milestone?
A milestone is an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development. Change is to make or become different. Development is a state of growth or advancement.
Why Mike Started Mike Murphy Unplugged
Two reasons: to connect, teach, and help people figure things out, and to figure out how to make a living as an online educator and content creator. Podcasting was the perfect medium — Mike had been an avid podcast listener since the original iPod, loved audio and gear, and saw an emerging medium he could use to share his voice from his own bedroom.
He gave himself 30 days to learn how to start a podcast: recording and editing audio, building the artwork and branding, and setting up social profiles. He didn’t overthink it, and stayed determined to do it his own way — everyone told him to niche down, but that’s never been who he is. A wide range of interests used to feel like a weakness; it became his superpower. The long-term goal was simple: make a living as a content creator and teacher.
Showing Up, Day After Day
The point of Mike Murphy Unplugged was always to document the journey — the tools, resources, and steps toward a general goal of making a living in creativity and teaching tech. Step one was starting the podcast itself, so the first several months were a podcast about podcasting, sharing everything Mike knew about setting up and producing a show.
The main principle from three years in: show up day after day, even when it feels like nobody’s listening. Mike created at least one piece of content, seven days a week, 365 days a year, for almost three years — trusting that consistency would either help him figure it out or open a door. There was no roadmap at the start, just persistence.
In Episode 150, Mike announced he was taking a break and putting the podcast on hiatus. Was it podfading? Not quite — but it needed a break. What started as a tool to help him had started to feel like a burden, held onto mostly to protect a never-missed-a-Friday streak.
A Year of Simplicity
2018 has been the year of simplicity, and I created my own version of minimalism.
Mike spent the first half of 2018 actively decluttering — giving away, throwing away, or selling what he didn’t use or need, doing the same with digital assets, and simplifying diet and exercise. Head-space and physical space both got clearer.
Early in the summer, he lost someone he cared about deeply, right before a planned trip, and gave himself permission almost immediately to take a break from the podcast. Loss has a way of clarifying priorities. Decluttering and simplifying were a deliberate choice to step back, breathe, and get back to basics — trusting that things would work out because the intentions behind the effort had been consistent and good all along.
Opportunity Knocks
As soon as the podcast went on hiatus, an opportunity opened: a position with podcast hosting company Simplecast, starting Monday, September 24th, as a podcast support specialist. The role — helping people figure things out and creating educational content — lines up almost exactly with why Mike started this podcast in the first place.
Creating the life you want isn’t fast or easy, and there’s no clear path — but you have to start somewhere and take the first step, no matter how big or small. Show up for yourself, not in competition with anyone else. The plan will change multiple times; the effort is what matters.
Happy 3rd anniversary to Mike Murphy Unplugged, and a big thanks to everyone who’s been along for the ride. The podcast remains on hiatus for now, but more is coming.