Take the Plunge

I have a bad habit of putting things off.

In my day job, I put off telling people I can’t meet deadlines because I don’t want them to see I’m struggling. Even if the reason I’m struggling is because I’m a one-person department.

In my day-to-day life, I put off telling friends and family that I need help because I don’t want to be a burden, or show people how vulnerable I really am.

I also put off those “big” dreams I have, because I somehow feel like I’m less deserving of them than other people. Who am I to think I could ever earn money off those big dreams?

But lately I feel like there are puzzles pieces I keep finding and turning over, and each one takes me just a little closer to my “big” dream. I have more than one big dream, though. However, I’m now starting to see they can all be connected if I do things right.

So what is my big dream that I don’t feel like I have the right to pursue? Podcasting. I want to be a podcaster. It makes sense. When I was younger, I thought I would try and be a broadcast journalist and report the news on TV. But in college, I had a professor steer me toward the student newspaper and that’s where I ended up finding a home. But now, I find myself listening to podcasts multiple times a day, and I know what makes a good one. I also know the genre of podcasting I’m drawn to—true crime and missing persons cases.

Once I finally got honest with myself, I sat down and did some brainstorming this past weekend. I looked up all the equipment and software I would need to start up a podcast, and I already have most of it here in my home. I have the writing skills necessary to produce a good script. I’m a confident public speaker. I’m a journalist and know how to interview people. I have a family member who is good at audio editing. I have a clear outline of the podcast I want to produce because I had to write up a simple proposal for one a few months ago when I entered a local radio station pod “quest’ contest. (I didn’t advance to the finals because I didn’t have a huge network of people choosing to vote for me every day on Facebook—so that was understandable). I already have a website, and a blog where I write posts related to what my podcast would be about. I write thriller/suspense fiction stories and novels, which I can also share with my audience.

I’m as qualified as anyone else to start up this type of podcast. I just have to do it, put it out there, and start promoting the heck out of it. I know there is a market for this type of podcast, or ones like “Up and Vanished,” “The Vanished,” “Over My Dead Body,” and so many others wouldn’t be binged by listeners like me on a weekly basis.

I’m putting aside the negative self talk and taking the plunge. I’m writing about it here to hold myself accountable. My next step is to put a launch date 4-6 weeks away on my calendar, record at least four episodes and hope to find the audience it deserves. Wish me luck!

I challenge you to take steps to pursue your own “big” dream, if you aren’t already. Where will you start?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and editor who knows how to tell a good story. Visit her website at FinishedPages.com.