Project Purpose
Recently I’ve had the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone by starting a podcast titled, Pages Turned & Lessons Learned. Stepping outside of your comfort zone takes courage but I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to step into the growth zone and develop new skills. This project’s purpose was to not only create a cozy and relatable podcast for fellow book lovers but learn about the different skills needed to create one. Having recently learned new content marketing skills, this project allowed me to practice new principles that I had previously learned and apply them to a real-life project.
Project Sample
Below is the logo I made for my podcast and a link to the first episode.
Challenges
As with any project, I faced my fair share of challenges and learning opportunities. Although there were many challenges I faced, two stand out to me. The first one was the learning curve of learning how to operate audio software. After doing extensive research, the audio software I had decided to use was very difficult and despite many hours spent trying to learn how to use it I was unsuccessful. This was extremely frustrating, but I learned the importance of perseverance and learning that it is okay to pick a different path. Instead of using the original audio software I planned, I was able to use GarageBand on my computer which was easier to navigate and helped me progress in my project. The second challenge that stands out to me was learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. In addition to wanting to learn the skills necessary to create a podcast, I also wanted to challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone. Although passionate about the topic, I was extremely nervous and uncomfortable recording the first few practice episodes but over time I was able to learn that stepping outside of my comfort zone is an opportunity for me to learn and grow.
Project Process
Having learned from my experience working on another project, I knew that getting carried away thinking about all I needed to accomplish would overwhelm me quickly. To prevent this from happening, I made small goals every two weeks that would allow me to complete this project within my desired timeframe. Breaking down this project into smaller parts allowed me to focus on taking small steps each day instead of focusing on the miles I had ahead of me before I reached the finish line. At the beginning of each two-week period, I would make a list of the small goals that I hoped to accomplish during the timeframe. This list helped keep me accountable and allowed me to better manage my time to ensure I was able to complete my goals. When it comes to technical processes, I had to master using audio recording equipment and software, researching and writing scripts, and learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Overview of Experiences
This project, while being a fun new adventure, helped me develop new skills and gain professional experience that will be beneficial in my future career. Full of challenges and successes, this project has been an invaluable experience for me. One experience that stands out to me was a conversation that I had with my mentor and the advice she offered me. I had expressed my frustration feeling that my podcast was missing something, she told me that an important aspect of any project is consistency. Continually showing up and putting in the work will always pay off. As I worked toward trying to be consistent and putting in the work on my project, I was able to see that consistency pays off. Creating this podcast was a labor of love, full of creativity, and a great opportunity to connect with others who have similar interests.
Key Takeaways
Reflecting on the time spent working on this project, I learned a few key takeaways. The first takeaway that I learned is that having a mentor is crucial when starting a new journey. Having a mentor who had professional experience helped me learn invaluable lessons. Making the effort to meet with my mentor throughout my project taught me the importance of applying feedback that I received from her as I was working on my project. The second takeaway that I learned is that authenticity always trumps perfection. As someone who considers themselves a perfectionist, this was a hard truth to learn. Instead of striving for perfection, I learned that being authentic is more realistic and it fosters a deeper connection with my listeners. The next key takeaway that I learned is that challenges aren’t meant to break us, they are meant to be learning experiences that help us grow. As with any project, encountering a challenge can be frustrating but it also fosters learning. Working on this project has been exactly that. Challenging but a learning experience. I’m excited to see what the future holds as I continue to work on more projects and apply the lessons that I’ve had the opportunity to learn while working on this project.