We Are Live In 5, 4, 3…

I was sitting in my office when Dan walked in. He was his enthusiastic self, as always. On the outside, I hoped that Dan might not notice that I was a nervous wreck. My insides were in knots, my palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms were heavy. No vomit on my sweater though, thankfully.

Dan was the very first guest I had on the podcast I host, Summerville Advice Givers.

Sitting there in the office with mics right in our faces, computer ready to record, I realized that this was it. I had planned for almost a year to start the podcast, and had actually delayed it by 6 months because I wasn’t ready.

I mean, I told myself that I wasn’t ready.

But even with the fear and nerves and unknown, I clicked record and we talked for the next 20 minutes about Dan and his life and work.

Then came the second step of publishing it publicly. So anyone and everyone could listen.

And judge.

And comment.

And troll.

Also…it takes time to get used to how you hear yourself recorded. It was brutal the first time I heard myself talking.

Is that my voice?

Is that MY voice?!?

The realization hit me hard the day I uploaded the first episode. I kicked myself for waiting so long to actually start. It wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought it would be. Like most of life, the worst part was the fear itself, not the actual project.

Recording and publishing? Actually not too hard. The fear of what might happen as a result? Hard.

It seems that taking chances often is like that. The chance we take isn’t nearly as bad as the fear we have before we make the leap.

It’s hard to put it better than what FDR said.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

And now, after 51 episodes released, I am so glad I took the chance on it last year.

I can’t wait to kick the fear aside when I get to take the next chance.

Don’t let fear make your decisions for you!