Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - Take Off Your Headphones

Starting point is 00:00:00 How often do you listen to podcasts? Are you what Edison research would call a super listener? That is somebody who listens to five or more hours of podcasts every week. I definitely fall into that category. I listen to podcasts when I'm falling asleep, when I wake up, when I'm cooking, and almost always when I'm walking out the door. Are you the same way? Is this healthy? Is this the perfect way to always be learning? That's how I usually think about podcast listening. Or are we overdoing it, leaving no empty space for our minds to rest and wander and spark creative ideas. Something happened to me this summer that made me really question my habits and how I interact with and experience the world. I recorded an audio diary about it, which I will share with you

Starting point is 00:00:44 right now. So here we go. Have you been wanting to start a podcast for a while now, but something's holding you back? Maybe it's fear of putting yourself out there or confusion about the technology. I'm Sarah Mikital and on podcasting step by step, I'll break down how to podcast with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and the confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Let's get started. I recently found myself wandering the airport parking lot in Split, Croatia. I had a few minutes to catch the bus into a town where I would catch another bus to another town called Shibonik. and if I miss the first bus, a domino effect would in two that would leave me stranded.

Starting point is 00:01:33 So the first person I see, I ask, hey, do you know where the bus into town is? And that is the beauty of solo travel. You get comfortable asking people for help with talking to strangers and with forging your own path. If you are shy or question whether you have what it takes to do something or are scared about giving voice to a dream you have, travel by yourself somewhere. Even if it's just for a weekend, go explore somewhere on your own. Stay at a hostel. Some of them are very nice these days. Have lunch by yourself. Strike up a conversation with somebody you don't know. To many people, this can sound terrifying and not that big of a deal all at the same time. Have dinner by myself in public? That is crazy. And also, not a big deal in any way. If our biggest,

Starting point is 00:02:26 is drinking a glass of Prosecco and watching the sunset by herself, then we are among the most blessed people on earth. Back at that airport parking lot in Croatia, William, the young man I had met, and I finally found the bus, and we sat down next to each other. He is this bearded 26-year-old, but old soul carpenter who already has his own house. And we shatted and marveled at how this is such an incredible time to be alive, with travel so much more accessible now than in our grandparents' generation. He also told me that he's in a band, but he says he's too old for anything to come of it. We've all said that in our lives, right? I'm too old to learn French. I would love to pick up the cello, but it's just too late for me. And then five years later, we say, why didn't I start

Starting point is 00:03:20 that five years ago? William was telling me that he was going through a rough time with an older brother who treats him horribly and then a girlfriend who just cheated on him. But it's his relationship with his brother that really breaks his heart. And I really felt for William and we talked about family and travel. I told him about a potential job opportunity that I was unsure of. And we had only known each other for 20 or 30 minutes. But that's the thing about conversations between people traveling on their own. They get really. really quick. And these conversations are often more intimate than ones we have with people we see all the time. But we have to make space to be consciously in this world to have these conversations.

Starting point is 00:04:07 And meeting William made me realize that when I'm walking around or otherwise commuting, I almost always have my headphones on. And this closes us off to the rest of the world. It's a signal, don't talk to me. And while I, clearly love podcasts and could happily spend the entire day consuming them. I want to spend more time in the world without my earbuds, more time hearing what's going on in the world around me, and engaging with the people who are in it. Feelings of anxiety and loneliness are skyrocketing around the world because we are never at peace. We are consuming, consuming, consuming at double speed. A break from technology sparks creativity, which is why our best ideas always happen when we are in the shower or when we're out on a walk and by some miracle forgot our phones.

Starting point is 00:05:04 Our brains and our hearts and our souls need this space to rest and recharge. Now when I jog in the morning, I do listen to podcasts, but when I reach a certain wooden bench on a cliff in front of the ocean, I take off my headphones and then I just sit there. This is my version of morning meditation. I don't do anything other than stare at the sea and feel the wind and the sun and hear the waves. And this simple act of just being in the world has transformed how I feel for the rest of the day. I'm more at ease and focused on what I want to accomplish and I'm better at filtering out the noise in the world. Before William and I got off the bus in Split City Center, the mentor in me popped out, and I tried to reassure William that he is in fact very young, and in 20 years he will kick himself for not going after what he wanted to go after in his 20s because he was too old. And we said goodbye and parted ways, both in better spirits than when our journey had began. You will never have this day again, my friend.

Starting point is 00:06:21 Make it matter. Thank you for listening to podcasting step by step. You are now one step closer to launching that podcast you've been dreaming about. But I want to get you even closer. I created a free guidebook for you with actionable worksheets called Eight Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them. To find that, head on over to sarahmicatel.com slash fix. Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone

Starting point is 00:06:53 puts you on the spot. I created a free conversation cheat sheet with simple formulas that you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you're in a meeting or just talking with friends. Download it at sarahigatel.com slash blank no more.

Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - Take Off Your Headphones

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