To Find Results, Keep Showing Up

It’s one week after the big five-year anniversary of “Now Hear This Entertainment.”  I don’t want to say that since that occasion it has been, “Oh well, back to work,” because the work never stopped.  And that’s just the point.

People stand in admiration of achievements like these and they ask how it feels.  That in itself is a rather strange question unless it’s rhetorical.  Of course it fills me with pride!  Do you think I’m going to say something of a negative connotation?

But when the question is asked, “How in the world have you managed to deliver a new episode on-time every week for five years,” well, that’s where the rubber meets the road.

How did I do it?  By showing up.

Ironically, you’ll hear me saying this on the episode of NHTE that will come out this week (on Wednesday, February 27th).  One of the podcasts that I like to listen to is “Mohr Stories,” which is done by actor/comedian Jay Mohr.  I heard him say on one of his episodes – using an analogy from the coaching he does with his son’s wrestling program – that you’ve got to show up.  Every time.

Last night on the Oscars, in her acceptance speech Lady Gaga said to those watching at home, “It’s about not giving up,” as she talked about what she does being hard work.

If you don’t try and if all you do is complain about what you don’t have, how could you possibly expect to achieve what you see in your mind as where you want to be?

Moreover, every time you take a day off because you think you’ve earned it and/or you deserve it, that’s one less opportunity to get closer to your goal.

Over the Christmas holiday and one week later during New Year’s, I watched podcasters post in different Facebook groups about what they were – or weren’t – doing at that time relative to the episodes they were – or weren’t – publishing.  A number of them talked about taking a break or just reissuing an old episode, maybe with a brief intro saying that they were doing such because of the holidays.

I have a verbal contract with my listeners.  They know that a new episode of “Now Hear This Entertainment” is going to be delivered every Wednesday morning.  I don’t want to break that promise to them.  And if I reissue an old episode then I also miss the chance to meet new guests (read as, potential contacts).

So instead, I keep showing up.

When you look around and see colleagues who seem to be getting all the work, look at their body of work.  I bet you’ll see that they keep showing up.

Just like the athlete who has a consecutive games played streak, you will soon be proud of your consistency.  And then when the big break comes, you’ll know that it paid off.

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