036 Embrace Your Pre-Podcast Rituals

Call them superstitions, rituals are or just old habits. When you do the same thing before an event, it become part of that event. And, when you skip it - bad things happen.

No this is not going to be like one of those ‘pass this on or something awful will happen to you’ type of things. Let’s leave those to the internet and our mom’s on Facebook. When I say bad things happen - I mean bad podcasting happens. And it has nothing to do with luck or mojo or karma or anything. It’s simply this. We are creatures of habit and routine. When the routine changes, we change. Our style shifts a little bit. And, we don’t perform with consistency.   Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of shaking things up a bit. All the more reason to have a pre-record ritual - it just puts you in that place no matter where you are. Rituals help us deliver a consistent performance. Artists do it, athletes do it, heck even politicians do it.   I’ve seen a lot of interesting pre-record rituals in my decades of radio. I can’t explain any of them. Very few of them have anything to do with proven performance techniques but they work. And, you can’t argue with things that work but it has to work for you. Nobody can tell you what your ritual should be. Whether it’s high-fiving the picture of your ‘ideal listener, Kevin’ or always wearing your lucky podcasting jersey - it’s entirely up to you.   So, take a look at the habits you already have before you hit record. What makes you feel that ‘here we go!’ feeling? What gives you that sense of ‘this show is going to rock’? It can be practical, superstitious or just straight up bonkers. Whatever that little or big habit is, recognize it and make it your ritual.   Mine has to do with a 20-point checklist (steal it here) that makes me feel confident in the technical aspects. Oh, and a certain lack of pants. But, that’s just me. Go out and find your own then embrace your pre-podcast rituals and deliver an awesome show, consistently, every time.   What is your ritual? What’s the one thing you need to do to feel like your podcast recording session is going to kick ass?