E7. Let's Stop Playing to Our Strengths

We're told that we should always seek excellence and achievement, and that it's important to be the best - or at least to try. But that kind of approach is antithetical to living life experimentally. This episode is a follow-on to last week's (Ep. 6), but you can listen to it as a stand-alone too. I discuss why playing to our strengths is the "easy way out," and how it keeps us from truly enjoying our lives. You'll hear about what made starting a podcast fun for me, even though I don't have what you'd think are the right skills for it, and why the concept of having fun is so important when we try new challenges that scare us. Plus, I give you some tips on how to change your life that don't actually involve changing anything. Curious? Give it a listen! 

You can find this episode's accompanying blog post here.

My friend's podcast that I mention is Supporting Characters. It's a really high-quality production and I'd recommend checking it out if you are any kind of movie buff! Here's the description: Host Bill Ackerman talks to writers, bloggers, podcasters, fanzine publishers, programmers, preservationists and more about their creative endeavors and today’s film culture.

The microphone I chose for my podcast is the Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB (non-affiliate link - you can shop around for a deal). It's a dynamic mic, which I think is the best choice for home podcast recording because it's less sensitive than condenser mics and won't pick up as much background noise. If you have a professional studio with soundproofing, a condenser mic (like the popular Yeti) might be the better choice. I think a good mic is worth the investment if you intend to do podcasting for the long term.