I had to stop listening to podcasts.
Every time listened to one I would copy something said into my own podcast. I craved to be part of the podcasting gang. “I listened to your episode”was what I thought podcasters would expect me so say. This meant I listened to every episode just in case they asked. They never did.
Even worst I could not help but borrow ideas and lines to the point where I became paranoid. I feared that people would know I got that question from Mitch Joel or Neville Hobson.
So these days I just listen to Jon Buscall and James Altucher.
Mad I know, we work together (Jon not James) but listening to Jon’s podcast is like an in depth meeting without having to go to one. In fact it is better a meeting – the quality of the content is far superior and I don’t have to bring biscuits.
It is good know what other people have heard too and cansend an episode to someone that answers their question. It is worth noting that hands down the best lead generator for Moon Dog Marketing are the podcasts.
I love James Altucher‘s style and his myriad of guests. James has an amazing sense of geeky unease combined with a freedom and honesty that is engaging. He also manages to tread that line of creativity, woo-woo and business acumen well – he made it ok to talk about Yoga and meditation opening for me.
I have read two of his books,‘Chose yourself’ hit the nail on the head for me at a certain time in life and the second ‘the power of no’ which he co-authered and read on audio with his wife Claudia.
Far from being ‘you must do this’ their style is warm and open. I had more than one instance where I dropped something and shouted “that is what I have been trying to articulate for years!”
Claudia describes falling in love with people that are no good for you – I was a master of this. Or even worse I’d fall in love with people I was no good for. I was planning our wedding on the second date and they were just out for a drink, and maybe if we drunk enough we’d go home together. By the time we’d both drunk too much I’d be having a ‘Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’ experience and they’d be having a date and a bit of fun. I’d prepare a breakfast fit for the Ritz and they’d eat a bit of toast and rush home to get changed and go to work.
I replaced podcasts with blogs. I listen to blogs via an app called ‘Voice Dream‘ which Fancy Hands found for me after Sound Gecko announced they were closing to focus on their radio product.
All the blogs I read get sent to Voice Dream via feedly and Pocket.
I always want to be learning how to write better, so reading (well listening) to how other people write is key to this. I tend to think that people put more thought into what they write than what they say. Of course it is with more than a hint of shame that I admit that. A throwaway line from me that fills a silence or grabs attention is not unusual – pull me up on it when you catch me doing it!
Another thing about blogging that works for me – it makes me be honest here. As I look back on my life too much of it has been trying to be one thing somewhere and another thing somewhere else.
It was exhausting and made my head fall off.
For example when I was at university, I was a rock and roll bartender to the stars for people at university (or rather I hoped I was). Then for the people in the nightclub I was a college kid, a couple of them thought I was an academic – but that is because we had both read the same book and neither of us had any mates…
Come say hi at our next London Bloggers Meet Up here
