How To Podcast: Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway...

Susan Jeffer. What a book: 'Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway'. Not read it? Go, buy it now - I must be on to my fourth copy as I’ve worn out previous copies or given them away to countless friends and colleagues.

In the world of podcasting, putting ourselves ‘out there’ can leave us feeling pretty darn fearful.

We often find ourselves focusing on the ‘hows’ not the ‘whats’. Then before we know it, suddenly the idea of starting a podcast, or keeping one going seems terrifyingly overwhelming.

I know. I’ve been there.

But ask every podcaster in the top 100 episodes of Apple Podcasts right now if they’ve ever sat in private agonising over a silly mistake or listener feedback, and you’ll struggle to find one that hasn’t.

So as part of my ‘how to podcast’ series I thought I’d seek advice from current presenters on how they’ve overcome imposter syndrome and continued broadcasting regardless.

‘She Podcasts’ is a online support group for women who podcast or who are setting up a show currently to ask questions, provide support, share resources, wins, advocate for each other.

I reached out on their closed facebook group to ask their members for advice.

Here’s my original post:

Here are a few of the fantastic responses:

Stacey Simms of Diabetes Connections Podcast

“Fear can be a good sign! It lets you know you may be taking a risk and to think carefully about your decision. The trick is to manage that fear constructively. I look back at other risks I’ve taken and try to think through what I’m really fearful of this time. Usually that helps me see what I’m worried about is something that will probably only help me in the long run.”

Adrienne Elishiva of Dear World, Love History

“Oh man fear can be such darn roadblock, and sometimes I can be second guessing myself all the time, or at least it seems like it. I especially get anxious posting things online, makes me feel like I’ve stripped away a barrier. But in the end I tell myself to just do it. If it’s not going to hurt me physically then it’s time to get it done. I also may have given myself a couple of stern pep talks while looking in the mirror. Which actually really helped quiet the worry wart in my head and boost my confidence.”

Jessica Guzik of The Art of Speaking Up

“A HUGE game changer for me was learning about the neocortex vs. the reptilian brain, and understanding that fear is often an evolutionary response that makes us THINK we are in danger when we’re not. The neocortex is the more evolved area of our brain where we can access our ‘highest self’ Once I understood this, I literally tried to access my neocortex in moments of fear AND IT WORKED. For the first time ever I gave a presentation without shaking. What I did was just give myself a minute to say ‘I know you’re afraid but this is your evolved brain talking - and I’ve got your back. I will help you through this. I’ve got you.’ I know this sounds nuts but it worked for me and has been a game changer.”

Dara Paoletti of Work-Life Uprising

“When fear sets in, I've learned that its a signal that I'm on the right track. Though that isn't necessarily comforting in the moment. So when my fear about doing something kicks in, I think about the smallest step I can take in the direction of the thing I'm afraid of. Just a baby step to get me started. And then I build one tiny step on the next to get the scary thing done. Usually, once I get going and get the first few tiny steps out of the way it becomes much easier to face the fear.”

Leah Carey of Good Girls Talk About Sex

“I recently started a challenge with some friends to get 100 rejections. We're all female creatives and entrepreneurs - people who have to promote ourselves in order to make a living - but we also anticipate that rejections will prove that we're as incompetent as we fear we are. So we're turning the idea of rejection on its head and turning it into a game. Each rejection gets us closer to our goal!”

Sherry Eckert of Titanium Blonde Talks

“I had some fear back when I first started trying to figure out how to podcast, much less these days than where I started roughly a year ago. I decided to to dive in and learn as much as possible, taking my time and I keep an open mind about what’s showing up while keeping my expectations under control. Some days I was more successful than others. Some days I tried to do too many things at once and I also gave myself the space to just pause when I felt overwhelmed. I’m a yoga teacher, so I spent time on my mat practicing and meditating almost daily. I also spent plenty of time walking the beach, it’s where I go to destress, connect and it’s also where many great ideas show up. I was worried that people would say no to being a guest on a brand new podcast, but I have not heard a no yet. Sometimes scheduling can be difficult (everyone is busy), but I keep at it and we pull it together. It took me awhile to get the hang of editing and that created fear around letting my guests down. Whenever it showed up, I would give myself some time, do some more research and then write out what my goals were, the fears around them and ideas for how to move beyond the fear. I’ve also been in a mastermind group for the last year that’s been tremendous support. It helped me get a handle on marketing, my website and clarity about my brand story. There are so many moving parts to all of this, I keep a wall dedicated to 3x5 cards with my daily, weekly, monthly and future ideas and tasks on them. When I feel a burst of energy, I start with what feels most difficult and go from there. I use painter tape to hang them and rearrange as needed. So far it’s all helped me get past the roadblocks of fear and imposter syndrome.”

So what will it take for you to say yes, to hit record, to publish, to shout about whatever it is that excites you and fills you with passion?

Start podcasting now. I dare you...

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