There’s a reason that podcasts fade by episode 12. There’s a reason that a year from now, half of the podcasts that exist now will disappear. Doing a podcast is a lot of work. For most of us, it’s fun work, it engages our minds, and can help with our businesses. But, there are times when we feel uninspired.
It could be what life is throwing you. Maybe you have some difficult things going on in your family, your kids might be more needy, or you have business stress? It could be that there’s a lot exciting going on in the world, you want to enjoy summer, be outside, or exercise more? Or you may have discovered the magic of slowing down, meditation, and not always achieving?
Making time for all of these activities is a good thing. But the end result is that your podcast may not be front and center. So what is a professional podcaster to do?
We’re going to cover three main areas to explore on what to do when you are uninspired, namely:
- What data is this giving you?
- What shifts can you try?
- How to give new energy to your show?
What Data is This Lack of Inspiration Giving You?
Whenever we have big feels or we don’t do what we say we will do, that is data. I remember when my daughter really wanted cello lessons, but then practice was a fight. Her behavior told me more than her words, cello wasn’t her thing. She just didn’t want to admit it.
There are times when a lack of inspiration and focus toward a podcast is actually a clue as to what is going on inside of you.
Maybe you expected the show to be a bigger success and you’re not seeing the ROI you expected? It could be that you’ve outgrown your content? Maybe you’re not as passionate as you once were toward that audience? It could also be that you’re burned out from other areas of life and business and the show is something easy to put on the backburner?
By knowing what you’re feeling first, it helps to give direction toward next steps.
What Shifts Can You Try?
You made your podcast schedule and you can change it. Top entrepreneurs will see data and then experiment. What could you try to change your inspiration? Maybe it is recording all your solo shows in one day and then taking the rest of the month off from podcasting. It could be having interviews at a different time when you have more energy. Maybe you take one show off per month? The inspiration and inspiration of a podcast is really just a mirror of your expectations and emotions around this project. When you can identify what expectations you have for your show and how that triggers your internal emotions toward that aspect of your business, it makes it easier to see experiments and shifts you can try.
How to Give New Energy to Your Podcast
When I was a couple’s therapist, long-term partners would come into therapy and talk about how the “spark was dead.” Research shows with couples that new activities and experiences grow intimacy, that’s why dating was so fun. The couple was discovering one another and doing a bunch of fun things together! The same is true with a podcast. How can you add something new? Maybe you do a five day in a row sprint around a topic. Do a deep dive into a particular interest and have three interviews in a row about it. Add something fun and personal, like recording a conversation with a friend. It’s your show, if it feels boring, make it yours again!
We all go through ups and downs with our energy and interest in our shows. But, figuring out where those emotions come from, trying shifts, and adding new energy will help you to dive into your show with new eyes.
Joseph R. Sanok, MA, LLP, LPC, NCC
Joe Sanok talks business and marketing on the Practice of the Practice Podcast, with over 500 episodes. He’s also the author of Thursday is the New Friday (HarperCollins) which is available for pre-release order and drops October 5, 2021.
