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Episode 845 - Procrastination Proof By Jon Acuff - Build Momentum for Tomorrow, The Future You Will Thank You Procrastination Proof: Build Momentum for Tomorrow Dave shares a timely recommendation for podcasters who struggle to start, finish, or return to the work in front of them. He highlights Procrastination Proof by Jon Acuff, a book that reframes procrastination as more than poor time management. Acuff connects it to ego, identity, performance, and the pressure people place on themselves to succeed. Dave discovered the book through Alex Sanfilippo’s Podcasting Made Simple interview with Jon Acuff. He encourages listeners to hear the full conversation and explore PodMatch, a platform for finding podcast guests and booking guest appearances. The book’s audiobook edition also includes bonus stories that do not appear in the print version. Plan at Night, Act in the Morning One idea stood out to Dave: Acuff plans in the evening and does the work in the morning. He recognizes that he does not plan well in the morning or work well at night, so he structures his day around those realities. By preparing the next day before it begins, he gives his future self a stronger starting point. Dave calls this an advanced start. Instead of waking up to a blank page, an empty calendar, or an unclear first task, you begin with a path already laid out. For podcasters, that could mean outlining tomorrow’s episode, preparing show notes, queuing an interview question, or placing your recording equipment where it is ready to use. Small preparations reduce friction and make the next session easier to begin. Procrastination and Self-Image Acuff also explores how procrastination can stem from how people view themselves. When success feels tied to performance, starting can feel risky. A delayed task protects the ego from a possible imperfect result. Dave connects that idea to his own 365-day recording challenge. He admits that he did not want to record this particular episode. It was cold outside, everyone in the house was asleep, and he had no ideal place to record. Still, he had made a commitment to himself and to the challenge. His point is direct. When you keep offering yourself excuses, eventually you stop doing the work. When you take action despite imperfect conditions, you build a foundation for future action. Do One Thing for Tomorrow The central question Dave leaves listeners with is simple: what can you do today that makes tomorrow better? You do not need perfect motivation, ideal conditions, or a flawless plan. You need one useful action that gives tomorrow’s version of you a head start. Dave references the idea attributed to Hemingway of leaving some ink in the pen at the end of a writing session. Do not run your creative tank empty. Preserve a small reserve of energy, ideas, or momentum so the next day begins with possibility rather than pressure. Set up tomorrow before today ends. Whether you are starting a podcast, recording an episode, contacting a guest, or continuing a long-term challenge, one intentional action now can remove tomorrow’s biggest obstacle. Check out Jon Acuff’s Procrastination Proof, the audiobook, and Alex Sanfilippo’s interview on Podcasting Made Simple for practical ways to move forward. https://jonacuff.com/ Procrastination Proof: Never Get Stuck Again https://a.co/d/0bPpdX9E Podcasting Made SimpleHow to Stop Procrastinating as a Podcaster | Jon Acuff https://pod.link/1470897857/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xOTE4MjE3Mw While Ernest Hemingway never used the exact words "leave ink in the pen," the popular concept is a paraphrasing of his most famous piece of writing advice: always stop writing for the day when things are going well and you know what will happen next. ____ https://www.joinpodmatch.com/truemedia ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

Episode 844 - You Are Not Bad at Podcasting, You Are New at It - Lessons From A Student Driver You Are Not Bad at Podcasting, You Are New at It Changing one word can change how you see yourself as a podcaster. Instead of saying, “I’m not good at podcasting,” try saying, “I’m new at podcasting.” That small shift removes pressure, creates room to learn, and helps you give yourself the same patience you would offer a new driver. A Better Way to Describe Your Skills Many new podcasters judge their early episodes against the polished work of experienced hosts. They hear their nerves, notice awkward pauses, or compare their interview questions to shows that have been running for years. The result is often a harsh conclusion: “I’m not good at this.” Dave encourages podcasters to replace that conclusion with a more accurate description. You are not bad at podcasting. You are new at podcasting. You are learning how to prepare, speak clearly, ask questions, edit, publish, and promote your show. This applies beyond podcasting too. A person is not automatically “bad” at parenting, writing, cooking, or driving simply because they are still developing those skills. They are new at them. The Student Driver Lesson Dave uses the example of a slow driver pulling out in front of you. At first, frustration takes over. Then you notice the “student driver” sign, and your reaction changes. You understand that the person is learning, so you offer patience instead of judgment. The same idea applies to your podcast. When you are only a few episodes in, you are sitting behind the microphone for the first time. You need space to make mistakes, practice, and improve. Seeing yourself as a student gives you permission to learn without expecting instant mastery. Growth Comes From Reps You cannot become a stronger podcaster by thinking about podcasting. Growth comes from action. Every episode gives you another chance to prepare, record, interview, edit, publish, and share your work. Keep showing up. Ask better questions over time. Get more comfortable on mic. Learn what your audience responds to. The repetition builds skill, confidence, and clarity. If you stop after five or ten episodes, you deny yourself the practice needed to find out whether podcasting truly fits you. Say “I’m new at podcasting” instead of “I’m not good at podcasting.” Give yourself grace, keep taking action, and let each episode become another rep toward the podcaster you are becoming. Your voice matters, and the world needs to hear it. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

Episode 843 - Joe Rogan, Mel Robbins and Theo Von Are Not The Best Podcast Gurus - What Works For Them Might Not Work For Your Podcast Joe Rogan, Mel Robbins and Theo Von Are Not the Best Podcast Gurus Big podcasts can make podcast growth look simple. Joe Rogan, Mel Robbins, and Theo Von appear to succeed by talking into a microphone, publishing clips, and attracting a huge audience. Dave Campbell explains why copying their approach can frustrate new podcasters and why your podcast audience needs a show built around its own needs. Why Big Shows Start Ahead Rogan, Robbins, and Von did not begin from zero. They brought existing fame, audiences, media connections, production support, and guest access into their podcasts. Their success reflects years of work in comedy, publishing, speaking, television, and social media before their shows became major platforms. A new podcaster often does not have those advantages. Comparing a small show to a massive production can create unrealistic expectations. The goal is not to recreate a celebrity studio or chase famous guests. The goal is to serve a specific group of listeners well. Build Around Your Listener A smaller podcast has an advantage: it can stay close to its audience. When you know who your show is for, planning episodes, writing titles, and choosing topics becomes easier. You can respond directly to the questions, problems, and experiences your listeners bring to you. Ask what your podcast gives people that other shows do not. A clear audience focus helps your show become useful, trustworthy, and memorable. That connection matters more than matching the scale of a famous host. Create a Repeatable Podcast Format A repeatable podcast format helps listeners know what to expect. Whether your show uses interviews, solo episodes, co-hosting, or storytelling, consistency builds trust over time. Listeners should be able to describe your podcast to someone else after hearing only a few episodes. Your format does not need to be rigid. It needs a recognizable promise. A dependable structure gives people a reason to return and makes your show easier to recommend. Use Searchable Episode Titles Big-name hosts can title episodes with only a guest name because their audience already knows them. Independent podcasters need clearer titles. A title such as “How to Launch a Podcast Without Expensive Gear” gives a potential listener an immediate reason to press play. Strong titles, clear descriptions, and topics that answer real questions help people find your show. Podcast growth for a smaller creator often comes from being discoverable, helpful, and relevant to the people searching for answers. Learn From the Right Sources It is fine to admire successful podcasters. Their clarity, consistency, personality, promotion, and distribution offer useful lessons. Still, they are not necessarily the best teachers for someone starting a podcast with limited time, money, and support. Look for podcast communities, educators, and creators who actively help newer podcasters. Connect with people serving a similar audience, invite listener feedback, collaborate in public, and let audience conversations shape future episodes. Do not build your podcast as a copy of Joe Rogan, Mel Robbins, or Theo Von. Build a podcast around a clear listener, a repeatable format, useful episodes, and genuine community. Your advantage as a smaller creator is proximity to your audience, not fame. ___ Helping Podcasters Everyday! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

Episode 842 - What If We Have Been Using A.I. Wrong As Podcasters - A Different Approach Than Other Podcasters AI and Podcast Content Creation AI can produce an answer quickly. That does not mean it produces an episode worth hearing. This episode challenges podcasters to stop treating AI as the source of their ideas and start using it to sharpen their own perspective. When you type an episode topic into an AI tool, it returns a blend of common answers. Anyone can enter the same prompt and receive similar information. If your episode simply repeats that result, listeners can get the same value from a search box. Your podcast needs to add what AI cannot supply: your experience, your opinion, and your point of view. Start With Your Own Ideas Before searching AI, write down the points you already want to make. Then ask the tool about your episode topic and compare the results. Remove anything that appears in both places. If AI repeats your planned points, those ideas may be too common. Build the episode around the material that remains yours. Offer a different angle, challenge the usual advice, or bring in a personal example that gives the topic real texture. A health podcast could ask AI for weight-loss advice and receive familiar guidance about food, sleep, and exercise. Rather than repeating those answers, the host could explore movement from a specific lived perspective, such as staying active with a busy schedule or rebuilding strength after years away from exercise. The core subject stays useful. The delivery becomes distinctive. Turn AI Into a Question Engine AI becomes more valuable when it questions you. Share your episode idea and main points, then ask it to challenge your thinking. Request tough questions, awkward objections, and gaps in your argument. Ask for one question at a time. This approach turns AI from an answer engine into a thinking partner. It can reveal assumptions you have not examined and help you prepare stronger explanations for listeners. You still decide what to believe, what to include, and what perspective your show will take. The episode also suggests using AI to identify a missing angle. You might bring two developed points to the tool and ask what else deserves consideration. Take the suggestion as a prompt for your own work, then develop it yourself rather than accepting a finished response. Be More Than Common Knowledge Listeners do not need another version of the same information. They need a reason to choose your show. When your content sounds like every other result from the same prompt, your audience has little reason to stay. Your advantage comes from specificity. Share what you have learned. Disagree where you have a reason. Tell the story only you can tell. Use AI to test, organize, and challenge your ideas, then bring the final perspective back to your own voice. Use AI to expose gaps and test your thinking, then create the episode from your own experience and viewpoint. Give listeners something they cannot generate with the same prompt. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

Episode 841 - How Podcast Listeners Judge A New Podcast - Podcast Recency and Relevance Podcast Recency and Relevance Podcast recency and relevance can decide whether a new listener presses play or moves on. Dave shares a recommendation for a podcast about podcast gear and technology, then explains why the show lost his interest before he heard a single episode. The podcast had not published new content since 2020. For a technology-focused show, that gap matters. Microphones, recording tools, software, apps, and artificial intelligence have changed dramatically since then. A listener searching for current advice may see the catalog as historical rather than useful today. What Listeners Check First When someone discovers your show through a recommendation, search, or social post, they often sort episodes from newest to oldest. They look for signs that the podcast is active and that the subject matter still speaks to their current needs. Recency answers a simple question: has the show released something lately? Relevance asks whether the information still applies now. A show can contain strong evergreen episodes, but a technology podcast without recent episodes may not meet the listener’s immediate need for up-to-date guidance. Why Relevance Changes Some topics age well. Stories, principles, interviews, and foundational skills can remain valuable for years. Other subjects change quickly, including product reviews, industry news, sports results, weather, and technology. Dave uses his Dad Space podcast as an example. Conversations about fatherhood and men’s mental health need to reflect what dads are facing now, not only what mattered years ago. A podcast grows when the host pays attention to the questions, challenges, and conversations happening within its audience. The Cost of Going Quiet Long breaks, abandoned seasons, and dormant feeds can make a podcast feel inactive. New listeners may assume the host has moved on, even when the older episodes still offer value. That assumption can cost the show attention, trust, and growth. Dave encourages podcasters to look at their episode page as a listener would. Sort the episodes by date. Read the titles. Ask whether the newest work shows activity and whether the topics still serve the audience. This is not a judgment on the podcaster. It is a practical way to spot an opportunity to improve. How to Fix the Gap The fix for recency is straightforward: create and publish the next episode. Relevance requires more attention. Listen to your audience, follow the conversations in your niche, and adjust your content as your topic evolves. You do not need to abandon your older episodes. You can build on them, revisit timely subjects, and create new material that reflects what your audience needs today. A recent, relevant episode gives both current listeners and newcomers a clear reason to stay. Check your podcast through the eyes of a new listener. Ask two questions: How recent are my episodes, and how relevant are they? Keep publishing, keep listening to your audience, and give people a current reason to press play. Your audience deserves your best. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6