The Anniversary Show

Episode Summary: The one-year anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged — 10 real lessons and takeaways from a full first year of weekly podcasting.

What You’ll Learn

• 10 real lessons from a full first year of weekly podcasting
• Why “done is better than perfect” became a guiding principle
• The skills podcasting sharpened, from writing to audio engineering
• An honest admission about weak spots: self-promotion and engagement

Happy one-year anniversary — and a very big thank you to everyone listening. Mike Murphy Unplugged launched Friday, September 25, 2015.

10 Lessons From Year One as a Podcaster

1. Podcasting is a big commitment and hard work. (Duh.)
2. Being a one-man band is something to be proud of. Being yourself is a lot easier than the alternative.
3. Podcasting made me better at nearly everything. Teaching, thinking, organizing thoughts, writing, graphic and web design, photography, animation, video, and audio engineering — Mac, iOS, and the full Adobe suite (Audition, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects, mobile apps) all got real practice.
4. Podcasting built genuine confidence. Competent enough to teach, a real voice and style, more trust in instinct and gut, better communication, better decisions, more getting done. Just better, because of the podcast.
5. Podcasting can be genuinely fun and creative. Recorded a podcast on a nude beach under the Golden Gate Bridge — check. On an airboat surrounded by alligators — check. On the beach looking out at the Gulf of Mexico — check.
6. Scripts are not the fun part. Writing the episode remains the least favorite step — but an important one regardless.
7. Done is definitely better than perfect. Audio, artwork, show notes — none of the minutiae matters as much as it feels like it does on launch day. Do your best. Podcasting isn’t a competition with other podcasters; an audience tunes in for the host, not for the things the host is privately hard on themselves about.
8. Templates are a big productivity win. Show notes, cover art, episode art — having a repeatable template makes everything easier.
9. Self-promotion and engagement remain a genuine weak spot. Part of the package, and part of the uniqueness too.
10. Feedback and reviews mean a lot. Not a ton comes in, but every piece makes the whole thing worth it.

Closing Thoughts

Year one wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns — some tweaks are needed to the process, since the podcast ate up more time and mental energy than expected at points. Hard work has never been the concern, but health and happiness are the real priorities, and the show tested both from time to time. Figuring things out is the whole point, and this will be no different.

Thanks for listening.

Show Notes & Links

No external resources referenced in this episode.