15 Lessons from 150 Podcast Episodes

On Tuesday, I hit 150 episodes of my podcast, Raising Your Game (pops party popper).

I’ve had the opportunity to not only interview some of the best athletes, coaches, authors, and psychologists but also share my own thoughts, views, and experiences.

I thought I’d have a bit of reflection on the podcast and what I’ve learned from not only the conversations but the process of doing a podcast.

Here we go…

Accept it isn’t going to be easy.

I’ve met so many people who go into podcasting (or sports) completely underestimating the actual success curve.

If you set out wanting to get extrinsic success, believe me, you’ll only get let down more than you find happiness.

Be realistic in your expectations; aim high in small increments.

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Find a process and enjoy it.

Create a process for how you do things.

In your sport, work, and life.

Focusing on the process not only creates enjoyment and longevity but also reduces burnout.

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Our darkest times lead to our greatest growth.

Each one of my guests has put themselves out there at some point.

Sometimes it hasn’t worked out, or they got injured, faced rejection, or doubted themselves.

Yet in those moments is where the gold is.

The choices they made to become who they are now.

Chances are you’ve had the same.

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Get curious

Get curious about finding new ways to do things.

Don’t think that the way in which you have done things until now will last forever.

The best athletes are reiterating, finding new ways, and asking questions.

With the podcast, I’m constantly searching for ways to add more value.

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Prioritise your mindset.

There’s no doubt that the majority of the athletes I’ve spoken to on the podcast have all said something similar.

Their mindset is the most important thing.

At the very top, skills and ability are so close, so it’s those that handle pressure, stay calm, and stay focused that rise above the rest.

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Being different is part of it.

What’s your unique position? One thing I have tried to search for in the podcast is something different.

I still think it’s evolving, but I’m much closer.

And that’s true for all things.

Find what makes you unique; it will help you stand out; run with it.

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Train hard, perform easy.

One of my favourite examples of this is James Taylor, who spoke about how he made training so challenging that it made games much easier.

Practicing hard, pushing yourself sets you up for challenging environments that aren’t so daunting because you’ve been there before.

Perfection isn’t always achievable.

While we can aim for perfection, it’s not always achievable.

Don’t think that the only measure of success is based on getting it right.

Some days, you’ll have to slog your way through the mud to get it done.

It won’t be pretty, but it’s better than procrastinating.

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Find a mentor.

​Cameron Bancroft went through one of the toughest periods in Australian cricket history, and during that time he relied on mentors.

I try to surround myself with mentors that I respect, am inspired by, and who can educate me.

Whether they are other athletes, podcasters, or actors, I may not have met them, but they have inspired me to be better.

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Separate the person from the performer.

My episode with Dale Steyn confirmed what I already knew.

You must separate the person from the persona.

In sport, business, art, and studies, you need to have the ability to switch on and off the person that you are at home.

When I’m with my friends, I’m a completely different person than when I’m playing competitive sports.

The separation helps both.

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Preparation creates confidence.

Some of my best podcasts have come from ‘winging it’ in the conversation.

It’s organic and authentic.

However, I still prepare. I get my notes done, and I research the guest. Listen to them speak.

So that when I press record, I’m ready.

Athletes do the same.

The preparation in training gives them the clarity and confidence to feel ready. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

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Low expectations, aimed up.

I don’t expect this podcast to rival Joe Rogan.

But what I do aim for is to be better than the last episode.

This is true for any goal.

Aim for a small incremental gain, so aiming up slightly, with something that is achievable.

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Accept your inner weirdo.

One common thread with my guests is that they have this unique element to them, which they’ve accepted.

Sometimes they are aware of it, sometimes they aren’t.

Top level athletes I’ve been around all have something strange about them, but we all do.

The trick is to not get caught up in trying to change the weird things about you to try and fit in with everyone else.

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The power of mindfulness.

Mindfulness gets this ‘woo woo’ wrap in how it’s portrayed.

Not only do elite athletes use it to perform, stay grounded, and improve their mental health, but it forms a large aspect of psychological skills in psychology.

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The quality of your questions matters.

One thing I have tried is to ask good questions of my guests.

I know I’ve done something right when they pause or say “That’s a good question”.

And in life, I believe that when we ask good quality questions of ourselves, we get good quality answers.

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The podcast has been a tough old slog. I love it, and hate it at times.

But the conversations I’ve had and the growth I’ve gained from them is unrivalled and well worth the effort.

If you’re a listener, thank you for being there. If you’ve not seen it. Check it out here: lewishatchett.com/podcast

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