I’ve got an amazing new podcast guest to reveal today (sneak peek here), but first, I want to share something that’s been on my mind about how we can embrace opportunities to grow.

I’ve always been an entrepreneurial kind of person. As a teenager, I took on many independent projects, including starting my own activist group, organizing punk rock shows as fundraisers, and self-publishing books of short stories and poetry. But by far, the thing that gave me the most pleasure was making zines — DIY magazines that my sister and I made by hand (largely relying on cut and paste), photocopied, and stapled (or in some cases safety pinned) together. It was the act of doing it all ourselves that made the entire experience feel so worthwhile and satisfying.

I was thinking about this recently when in discussion with some fellow podcasters. The conversation was about which tools and services to use in order to generate show notes for your podcast. The underlying assumption seemed to be that doing it yourself — listening to your own show and writing the notes — was not an option.

Look, I’m not oblivious to the amount of work we have on our plates. Or how much time it takes to run a podcast; I myself find it tough to keep up with sometimes. Systematizing and outsourcing certain tasks can be smart, and worthwhile. Even necessary. (Especially if we use the time we save to put towards working in, as my most recent podcast guest calls it, “our Genius Zone.” More on that in a second.)

But I also believe we are in a culture that over-emphasizes the value of systematizing and outsourcing, and underestimates the value of *doing it yourself.*

I edit my own podcasts, and I write my own show notes. Not gonna lie: Sometimes I really don’t want to do it. But it turns out… it’s good for me! Doing it myself has given me some useful insights, some of which kinda surprised me.

For example, sometimes my initial interpretation of what the other person is trying to tell me isn’t 100% right. When I listen back, more objectively, I can often see nuances to what the person was trying to say that I didn’t pick up in the moment. This is teaching me about my own biases and blind spots, and it allows me to deepen my learning from that individual.

And that's just one example. The process is also helping me to refine my interviewing skills, giving me insight into what makes my most successful shows work, and challenging me to consider my listener's perspective and what they might be thinking and feeling at any given moment.

My take away point here is this: Sometimes absolute efficiency is not the best outcome.

Sometimes, learning, growing, and getting better is.

This, by the way, is a big reason why I work collaboratively with my clients to help them develop, refine, and communicate their ideas. Unlike traditional ghostwriting (wherein you hand the project off completely to another writer), I serve as a writing and thought partner. When we work together, you will grow as both a thinker and a skilled communicator. And that will serve you everywhere.

So, here’s some food for thought:

→ If you feel like you have to systematize or outsource every single thing, maybe it’s time to consider all the stuff on your plate. Is more outsourcing really the answer?

→ What if you did a little less, but got a bit more involved in the things you did commit to?

→ Or, what if you tried the DIY approach just a few times, just to see what it was like?

→ Or, what if you worked in partnership with a collaborator, coach, friend, etc to see what you could do together? (Rather than just using another tool, AI, etc.)

When I think back about it, the best part about the zines was making them with my sister, engrossed for hours in our basement, side by side.

In fact, maybe DIY isn’t the perfect solution. Maybe DIT (Do It Together) is even better.

Speaking of which, today’s podcast guest is an absolute champion of people who are the ultimate DIY’ers — soloists. As in, independent professionals.

Not only that, she is a true expert in developing authority, reputation, and recognition as an expert in your field.

Her name is Rochelle Moulton, and if you want to grow as a thought leader, you’ve got to listen to this episode.

In our conversation, we cover topics like…

How to operate in your “zone of genius” (and what that actually means.)
The importance of vision, and how to develop and refine your vision as a leader and business-owner.
How to stay committed to your vision while also giving yourself room to grow and change.
Why just doing what you’re good at and playing to your strengths isn’t always the path to success (or happiness).
Potential pitfalls of getting too attached to your personal brand and how to avoid them.
The value of publishing your ideas and publicly sharing your work, not just once but again and again.
The importance of choosing projects and initiatives that align with you, your values, and your joy (and how to course correct when they don’t.)
Why authority goes hand-in-hand with authenticity and humanity.
How to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

And so much more.

Listen to the episode here: my website, Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

And be sure to check out Rochelle Moulton at rochellemoulton.com.

Finally, just a quick reminder before you go, << Test First Name >> – if you haven't filled out my survey yet about how YOU want to grow and what you want to achieve this year, please do so here: https://forms.gle/peUkbniE8kWNhQ7VA. It helps me immensely to understand a bit more about your goals and how I may be able to support you.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the projects in front of you, don’t be afraid to dive in and get your hands a bit dirty.

That’s usually where the most fun is.

In defence of DIY (or DIT)