The 4th Anniversary Show

Episode Summary: On the 4th anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged, a walk down memory lane revisiting the Top 10 takeaways from year one — and an honest look at how each one holds up three years later.

What You’ll Learn

• Revisiting the Top 10 lessons from year one of podcasting, three years later
• Why “podcasting is a big commitment” held true from 2016 all the way to 2019
• Why “done is better than perfect” is advice Mike says he’ll carry to the grave
• The one lesson from year one that didn’t make the 2019 list anymore
• The final takeaway: do it for yourself, and everything will be worth it

Mike Murphy Unplugged officially launched on Friday, September 25, 2015 — four years before this episode. A big thank you to everyone who’s been along for the journey since the beginning. Looking back at the previous three anniversary episodes, Mike decided to revisit his Top 10 Takeaways from Year One and see how “Year One Mike” stacks up against “2019 Mike.”

The Top 10 List, Revisited

1. Podcasting is a big commitment and hard work. Once you launch, your mind switches to “on” — everything you read becomes a potential topic, and you’re always thinking about the next episode, the writing, the recording, the show notes, the artwork, the newsletter. Like a restaurant, you’re only as good as your last meal, so you have to bring it every week. 2016 advice: don’t obsess over perfecting cover art, titles, or audio — just be honest with yourself about the time and mental commitment required. 2019 verdict: ditto.

2. I am proud to be a one-man band. Year one taught Mike that the only way to sustain podcasting long-term is to stay yourself. He knew he’d get more downloads by doing interviews, being a guest, or narrowing his niche — but he carved his own path instead. 2019 verdict: still proud of the platform built entirely on his own terms. The advice: don’t look side to side at what others are doing — look forward and keep going.

3. Podcasting has made me a better teacher, thinker, and writer. After year one: a better organizer of thoughts, writer, graphic and web designer, photographer, animator — and his Adobe skills (Audition, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, After Effects) kept expanding. 2019 verdict: ditto, with a bigger toolbox and more confidence, even while still feeling like a novice in some ways. The more you study and practice, the better you get.

4. Podcasting has made me more confident. Feeling competent to teach, finding his voice and style, learning to trust his gut, becoming a better communicator and decision-maker. 2019 verdict: ditto — even more confident and sure of himself, especially in his teaching ability.

5. Podcasting can be fun and creative. Mike recorded on a nude beach under the Golden Gate Bridge, on an airboat with alligators in the Everglades, and from multiple beaches in Naples. 2016 advice: there are no rules to podcasting, so shake it up and have fun when you can. 2019 verdict: podcasting stopped being fun once it collided with a full-time job, running Murphy Concierge, and making nightly tutorials — part of why the show went on hiatus. But the “no rules” advice still holds: you don’t need permission or validation from anyone. Just start and have fun.

6. Writing scripts is not fun (but rewarding). Script writing left Mike mentally exhausted after every episode. 2019 verdict: still true, and probably 90% of the reason the show became a thorn in his side — even though the finished episodes, recorded in one take in under 30 minutes, come together easily once the script exists.

7. Done is definitely better than perfect. Year one Mike was obsessed with learning audio production, EQ, and compression, convinced everyone else’s podcast sounded better than his. 2019 verdict: this is advice Mike says he’ll carry to the grave. Start with whatever gear you have — an iPhone is enough. Give it your best effort, but don’t wait for perfect conditions before you start, because it’s never going to feel perfect anyway.

8. Having templates and systems are essential. 2019 take: make everything you create easily repeatable so you’re not starting from zero every time. Put in the effort up front on your workflow, and you’ll thank yourself later.

9. I stink at self-promotion and marketing. 2019 verdict: year-one Mike nailed it again — still true, and still important if you want to stand out. Publishing something is great, but if no one hears or sees it, you’re doing a disservice to the people who needed it. Do as Mike says, not as he does: be proud of your content and promote it.

10. Feedback and reviews mean a lot. This one didn’t make the 2019 list. Instead, Mike closes with what he considers the most important lesson heading into year five: do it for yourself, and everything will always be worth it. Know your own why, and don’t look at what anyone else is doing — you don’t need to sell or prove your reasons to anyone. Just commit and trust yourself.

Looking Back

Launching episode one was a pivotal, proud moment — the sense of accomplishment seeing the show live in iTunes for the first time is something Mike says he’ll never forget. Four years later, he can say with confidence that decision was the right one.

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb

That quote from the year-one episodes still resonates for everything Mike struggles to get around to — classes, books, blog posts. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, or anything else, and telling yourself you’re too late or the space is too crowded: that’s nonsense. Start today.

“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” — Wayne Gretzky

Launching this podcast was Mike’s first big shot on goal toward creating the life he wanted — one built on learning, pushing himself creatively, and making educational content that inspires others. If he can do it, so can you.

Patience is the key to most things worth having in life. Everything takes time, but you have to take the initiative, start creating, and take chances if you want to accomplish your goals.

Happy 4th anniversary, and thank you.

Related Episodes

• Episode 151: The 3 Year Show