Learning as you go can be pretty stressful but ultimately it’s rewarding when you’re able to look back and see all that you’ve persevered through and all that you’ve accomplished.
When I first set out to create my podcast (Be The Good) I didn’t know a damn thing about recording, editing, or marketing a podcast. Creating the first two seasons was stressful for me because I was figuring it all out as I went. But with the help of many YouTube tutorials and a few tips from a friend who had experience podcasting I made my way through the initial launch. I searched through YouTube tutorials for the best equipment to invest in for a first time podcaster like myself. I learned how to use Zoom to set up my interviews with the ability to capture the audio and video and then export it to edit. I downloaded a free editing program and then set out to find tutorials on how to use it. Even though I did my best to make sure the podcast was ready to go, as I neared the launch of the first episode I began to doubt myself and felt nervous that this podcast would come across as being so amateur that no one would even bother listening to it. But my desire to share these stories of good and to inspire more goodness in the world outweighed my anxiety and helped me to push through the fear and insecurity.
Over the past 10 years of working to build and operate my non profit I also learned a great deal about what it means to learn as you go. As was the case with my podcast, I also did not know anything about running a non profit when I decided to start one. There was a lot of stress for me as I tried to figure things out in the beginning and many mistakes I look back on in hindsight and cringe over how much harder I made it for myself than it had to be. But that is the ride you’re on when you’re a beginner at anything really. At times it was super frustrating but it has also produced for me some of the most exciting, fulfilling and proud moments of my life thus far. In any project that I take on I make sure to let my passion be in the driver’s seat because focusing on my passion to make a difference has proven to always see me through any obstacles or learning curves.
Over the years I have taught myself many new skills and I did so by making the decision that no matter what I could and would figure it out somehow. Now as I settle into my third season of the podcast I feel more comfortable in what I am doing and I have an enormous amount of gratitude and pride for what I was able to prove to myself. Both with my non profit and now my podcast I have proven to myself that I am capable of accomplishing far more than I ever thought I could.
I’ve learned that in order to acquire new skills we have to be willing to be uncomfortable. We have to accept that we do not know everything about everything and that this isn’t a bad thing, it’s a great thing! Because that means that there is still so much more to learn and experience. And if we are willing to step into the unknown than we are gifting ourselves with the opportunity to grow and expand our skills sets and to reap the rewards of pushing through any adversity that gets thrown our way. When we follow our hearts, trust in our abilities and commit to seeing a new project or idea through, the personal benefits that follow are truly invaluable.
I will leave you with a quote from John Michael Montgomery that I often turn to when I find myself in a new experience: “Life’s a dance, you learn as you go. Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow. Don’t worry about what you don’t know.”