Get more good stuff.

My podcast role models are no slouches.
They are award winning journalists, producing shows with millions of listeners.

• Guy Raz from TED Radio Hour – he’s great at creating curiosity (I’m always asking, “What’s next?”) and he uncovers ideas that leave me thinking for the rest of the day.
• Ira Glass from This American Life – this guy has a hugely successful show, but when he talks, he just seems like an average guy – approachable and authentic. He’s a great storyteller and uncovers stories that no one else has ever gotten. It’s like he’s mining for hidden treasure.

Listening to their shows, I try to model their quality, their storytelling abilities, and editing into mine, but I don’t feel like I’m even close.

I’ve been pouring over articles and videos highlighting Guy and Ira; trying to learn and apply as much as I can to my first episode.

That’s when I came across a YouTube clip I want to share from Ira Glass on good taste.

In it Ira says when we are trying to create or do something, we know what is good – we have good taste.
But since we know what is good, we also know what isn’t good. And starting out, our work just isn’t that good.

Ira Glass has lived this.  Since starting as an awkward public radio reporter, it took years for him to become the radio host we know.

He says the key is to put something out there, get feedback, and keep going.

What we make will fall short of our role models.  But, if we can learn from the best, and continue to make adjustments, we will only get better.