are you an excuse maker?

Here’s the thing friend,

There are 2 kinds of people in this world.

Those that make excuses.

And those that make things happen.

Throughout my life I’ve definitely spent time in both worlds. But as I get older and learn better, I find that I can recognize when I’m bargaining with myself and making excuses for why (fill in the blank) isn’t improving.

As I mentioned last letter, I kicked off this year with a mild flu which I’m still recovering from.

It’s very clear that this was the Universe’s sign for me to slow down. And I’ve been doing my very best to listen.

It’s challenging for me to lay in bed that extra hour or two because I know that my body needs it and I fight the impulse to get up and get going. Especially the first week of a new year and new beginnings!

Like most people the beginning of the year is a great opportunity to make progress on your goals and aspirations.

Long term goal planning has never been a forte of mine. I always find it challenging to plan out further than a few months and it’s something I continue to work on.

My partner and I have frequent conversations about this topic and I'm always looking for ways to improve.

For many of you on this list, one of the goals is to start or improve your authority-building podcast. Since launching mine in 2014, it’s been of the most transformational decisions I ever made.

Once you have one started, if you’re like me, you’re always thinking of ways to grow and/or improve. It’s one of my goals every year for the 2 that I host, Podcast Junkies and Vertical Farming Podcast.

This is by no means a one-and-done exercise. If you’re serious about your podcast there’s always a tweak that can be made in terms of quality, marketing, guests, website, social promotion, etc.

And if you’re just getting started, there is a consider amount of overwhelm that can occur.

What will I call it? How do I create the cover art? What do I need to do to show up in Apple Podcasts and Spotify? What gear do I need?

You get the picture. Needless to say the list is long and will continue to grow as your show grows.

Over the years I’ve provided various ways of supporting the podcast community. From done-for-you services with our agency FullCast, do-it-yourself training with my Podcast Blueprint 101 course, and coaching and consulting as well.

I’ve spoken in the past about my desire to help 1 million people find their voice. I know big bold statements like that need to be taken with a grain of salt, but the intention is there.

That’s why I’ve been working feverishly over the past few months at a free offering that provides the basics for anyone interested in getting started.

I’m happy to report that it’s finally up! 😅

It’s called Swipe My Podcast Launch Plan and it outlines the 4 things, at a minimum, that you need to get your podcast off the ground.

If you’re starting from zero, then this is exactly what you need to push through all those excuses you’ve been making up until now.

Best of all, it’s free!

My one ask is that you share it with at least one person this week who you know in your heart, is ready for the next step in finding their voice. 🙏

What I created this week

How did Amanda Hruby's passion for podcasting evolve from her experiences as a community radio DJ, and what unexpected lessons did she learn from interviewing musicians at festivals?

What strategies and mindset shifts allowed Amanda to successfully transition from the constant connectivity of New York City to embracing a life off the grid in the Midwest?

Both good questions which we answer in episode 333 of Podcast Junkies!

Here’s to an abundant start to your new year!

With gratitude,

Harry