The 4th Anniversary Show

Episode Summary: On the 4th anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged, a walk down memory lane revisiting the Top 10 takeaways from year one — and an honest look at how each one holds up three years later.

What You'll Learn

• Revisiting the Top 10 lessons from year one of podcasting, three years later
• Why "podcasting is a big commitment" held true from 2016 all the way to 2019
• Why "done is better than perfect" is advice Mike says he'll carry to the grave
• The one lesson from year one that didn't make the 2019 list anymore
• The final takeaway: do it for yourself, and everything will be worth it

Mike Murphy Unplugged officially launched on Friday, September 25, 2015 — four years before this episode. A big thank you to everyone who's been along for the journey since the beginning. Looking back at the previous three anniversary episodes, Mike decided to revisit his Top 10 Takeaways from Year One and see how "Year One Mike" stacks up against "2019 Mike."

The Top 10 List, Revisited

1. Podcasting is a big commitment and hard work. Once you launch, your mind switches to "on" — everything you read becomes a potential topic, and you're always thinking about the next episode, the writing, the recording, the show notes, the artwork, the newsletter. Like a restaurant, you're only as good as your last meal, so you have to bring it every week. 2016 advice: don't obsess over perfecting cover art, titles, or audio — just be honest with yourself about the time and mental commitment required. 2019 verdict: ditto.

2. I am proud to be a one-man band. Year one taught Mike that the only way to sustain podcasting long-term is to stay yourself. He knew he'd get more downloads by doing interviews, being a guest, or narrowing his niche — but he carved his own path instead. 2019 verdict: still proud of the platform built entirely on his own terms. The advice: don't look side to side at what others are doing — look forward and keep going.

3. Podcasting has made me a better teacher, thinker, and writer. After year one: a better organizer of thoughts, writer, graphic and web designer, photographer, animator — and his Adobe skills (Audition, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, After Effects) kept expanding. 2019 verdict: ditto, with a bigger toolbox and more confidence, even while still feeling like a novice in some ways. The more you study and practice, the better you get.

4. Podcasting has made me more confident. Feeling competent to teach, finding his voice and style, learning to trust his gut, becoming a better communicator and decision-maker. 2019 verdict: ditto — even more confident and sure of himself, especially in his teaching ability.

5. Podcasting can be fun and creative. Mike recorded on a nude beach under the Golden Gate Bridge, on an airboat with alligators in the Everglades, and from multiple beaches in Naples. 2016 advice: there are no rules to podcasting, so shake it up and have fun when you can. 2019 verdict: podcasting stopped being fun once it collided with a full-time job, running Murphy Concierge, and making nightly tutorial…

Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.