Making Changes

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end”

Ursula K. LeGuin

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping”

Chinese Proverb

“Every day is a journey and the journey itself is home.”

Japanese Proverb

“Don’t stop believing.”

Journey – Don’t Stop Believing

I’m making changes in my radio show and here’s why.

            Yesterday I was happily surprised to see that my radio show has been getting listeners.  A recent show had over 600 listeners and a show in February had over 6,000!  Then I listened to the show with 600 listeners and I was mortified.  It was not my best work. 

So I’ve decided to make some changes. 

1.     I’m going to “show up bigger” as Lisa Nichols says.  By this I mean, I’m going to be more committed to this.

2.     All shows will be prepared in advance.  In the past, I have done some shows completely improvisationally.    Although my improvisational skills have served me in the past, I don’t think they serve me best here.  My preparation will include written notes.

3.     I will do at least five shows a week.  They will usually be at the same time, but I have not yet determined the time.  I will pick a time that will allow for the most live interaction.

4.     I will have topics.  I have many things to which I can speak to so the amount of topics should not be a problem.  My main topics will be motivation and job search skills.  Unless I decide to change that.

5.     I will have themes that will cover the same topic for two or more shows.

6.     I will have different titles for each shows.  In fact, I think I’m going to go back to some of my older shows and give them titles as well.

Perhaps I should have figured this out before.  I realize that I might look like a bit of an amateur here.  That’s because I am.  I’ve never done an Internet radio show before.  We are all amateurs at the beginning.  Even when we have a natural proclivity for something there is rarely an end to the way we can develop and improve upon a skill.  Whether it is walking, writing or creating an Internet radio show, we all have to start somewhere.

So, knowing that whatever I do is going to take time, which activities should I begin?  These are the guidelines that have worked for me.

1.              Do something that interests you.  If you like it or love it, you will probably be good at it.  In the beginning people may tell you that you are good.  That’s because you are.  But one day, after years of development, you may look back and realize how much you needed to learn.  You might even be somewhat embarrassed by your earlier efforts.  Still, you had the seed in you and that’s what people recognized.

2.              Do something new.  Perhaps it didn’t interest you at first, but one day you find yourself suddenly and unexpectedly being good at it and enjoying it.  This was how I learned to write resumes and teach math.  It’s fun to be able to add a new skill to your repertoire.  In fact, Jim Rohn says it’s good to have five to seven marketable skills.  One of them he and I highly recommend is knowing more than one language.

3.              Do something that aligns with your Purpose, whether it is new or something you’ve done previously.  If it aligns with your purpose, you will have all the motivation you need, even when you feel unmotivated. 

My radio show utilizes all three principals.  It interests me, it’s new and it aligns with my purpose.  I definitely do not know what I’m doing with the technical aspects.  But the more I accomplish, the more I will accomplish.  So I’m not worried.

The learning curve makes it interesting and fun.  There’s a joy in the journey that often surpasses the joy of reaching the destination. 

That’s one of the reasons we are given Purpose – so that we can be given joy.  And all we have to do is Get Started and Keep Going.