Understanding why you create your podcast is critical to your success. Without a powerful why, it becomes very difficult to do the work necessary to reach your goals.

There are two big reasons you need a powerful why. Today, I want to help you find that.

Before we begin, I would love to know what you are struggling with. Can you take 3 minutes and tell me about your podcast journey? You will find it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback.

I am working to make sure this podcast gives you the content you need to reach your goals. There are challenges you are facing and hurdles you are trying to overcome. This podcast is designed to help you with that. But, I need to know where those struggles are.

A workshop is also in the works where I will take your hand and walk you through every step of the way to your goals. I just need to know about your dreams.

If you could answer 9 quick questions to ensure you are getting the content you need, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback. It will help shape the content you get each and every week. It would also mean the world to me.

EXTERNAL

There are two big reasons you need a powerful why. One is external and one is internal.

Simon Sinek wrote an incredible book called “Start With Why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action.” It is one of my favorite business books, and I highly recommend it.

In the book, Sinek says, "People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe."

Everybody wants to get behind a great cause or person or champion or underdog. It is all about the why.

This podcast exists, because I love coaching. Coaching of all sorts.

My first coaching opportunity came when I was in high school. I coached youth bowlers.

My dad started me bowling when I was littler than I can remember. Probably 5- or 6-years-old.

I was so young when I started that the bowling center didn't have shoes that fit me. I bowled in my socks.

When I was 12, I started bowling competitively in leagues and tournaments. In my freshman year of high school, my dad and I won a national tournament.

That is when I became a youth coach. Coaches in my league trained me to help young bowlers get into the sport. It was great. I loved seeing the excitement on their faces when they would succeed. That set me on the path to coaching.

It also set me on the path to being on the bowling team in college. But that is a different story.

Since those bowling days, I've coached our fraternity floor hockey team. I began coaching radio talent in 1995 with my first radio program director job.

The local hockey organization asked me to be a high school hockey coach when my son hadn't turned one yet. He is now playing for a 20-and-under team in Minnesota.

MY PODCAST WHY

In 2009, I began listening to podcasts. The creativity and diversity with the format was captivating. I loved it.

The more I listened, the more I realized that these hosts could benefit so much by learning a few of the things we used everyday in radio. How to attract an audience, how to create marketing campaigns, and ways to create fans were just a few of the ideas.

That's when I took my decades of radio experience, the passion I have for coaching and all I learned earning my masters of business administration and wrapped it into one.

I love coaching. Seeing podcasters succeed drives me everyday. When a podcaster discovers something that takes their podcast to a whole new level, I get incredibly energized. It's magic.

That is my external why. People see that passion and they come to work with me.

What is your external why? Do your listeners see that on your show? Can they feel that in the products or services you offer?

Your audience will come for your why. What you do simply supports that why.

INTERNAL

My son playing in Minnesota brings me to my internal why. It is the second piece to your why puzzle.

My son is a senior in high school. This past weekend, we took him to Minnesota and dropped him off with his billet family.

Kids that play junior hockey tend to live with families that help and support the team. He and another player live with a wonderful family so they can both play hockey.

We chat with them quite often. It's not the same as being there full time, but it is close. My wife and I will drive up to see the home opener in a few weeks.

And that's why I do this. I can load up the laptop and drive to Minnesota anytime I'd like to see him play. The location freedom is important to me.

Being able to see my son in Minnesota or my daugther who is attending college out East whenever we would like is the reason why I created this business.

They say enjoy the time your kids are at home, because the time flies by. I always knew that was true. I didn't realize how true until I pulled away from the college campus dropping off my daughter last fall. Leaving my son at his billet's house brought it all back again.

That is why I love what I do. It allows me to live the life that I love. I get to coach people and lead them to their success. At the same time, I can do it anywhere, anytime while spending that time with the ones that mean the world to me.

In his book, Simon Sinek says, "Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion."

Where is your passion? Why do you do what you do?

YOUR WHY

Many people say they want to own their own business, because they want to call the shots or vacation whenever they want.

Is that really your why? Is it the control over the work or is it something deeper?

Why do you want the freedom? Could there be something more important that you will achieve by experiencing success with this journey?

Calling the shots isn't a why strong enough to make you put in the crazy hours it takes to make a business a success. Vacation whenever you'd like won't inspire you to do the work necessary to grow when you only have 28 downloads. Or 36. Or 52.

There are never enough downloads. When you hit 100, you'll want 1,000. After 1,000, you will set your sights on 5,000. There isn't a finish line.

Inspiration comes from something deeper. It is your son playing hockey 6 hours away from home. A true why comes from your daughter alone trying to find her way at college 1,200 miles away and you can't hug her. Inspiration comes from your mom in a hospital bed 3 states away and you want the freedom to be there anytime you want.

What's your why? What's your real why?

Find that and you're ready to start your journey toward success.

STRUGGLES

If you could answer 9 quick questions to ensure you are getting the content you need, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback. It will help shape the content you get each and every week. It would also mean the world to me.

Also, come back next week. We'll talk about the workshop to help you reach your goals. I'm putting the finishing touches on it this week. It's exciting. I can't wait to tell you all about it.

In the meantime, if you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.