We are living in an age of high anxiety and panic, and we can choose whether we want to fan the flames, or provide relief, whether that be through entertainment, education, inspiration, or a combination of these.

How do you want your listeners to feel after they listen to your show? On a piece of paper, write down three adjectives that convey these feelings. 

Keep these words by your desk. They are your north star, and you’ll need them to guide you, especially in times of crisis.

We are human. We’re emotional beings, and sometimes we get swept up in the heat of the moment and our words don’t always line up with our intentions.

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I know someone who has a health-related podcast. In one episode last year, she went on a passionate rant against Donald Trump because his policies on healthcare harm her listeners, whom she really cares about. She received feedback from listeners saying that they really like her, but they don’t want to hear about politics on her show and won’t continue listening to her if that is the direction she was taking. 

Your show is your show and you can talk about whatever you want. Maybe you want to repel certain people. But let that be your choice and not an accident. 

This might sound like common sense, but we’re not robots. As I said, things happen in life that have tremendous impact on our emotions. Things we hear in the news. Things that happen in our families. 

Before we podcast about it or tweet about it or email our list, pouring out our emotions. Pause. Write it out for yourself. Then reflect. Is this how you want people to see you? Is this reflective of your brand? Of your show’s goal? Of how you want to serve your audience? 

If the answer is yes, then share away. It’s good to let people in. That’s how they connect with you. But if you sleep on it, you might realize, “Whoah, I actually think I want to reframe that or say it in another way.”

How do you want to make people feel?

On a Ted Talk, David Brooks talked about the difference between happiness and joy, saying that happiness is the good feeling that comes with victory. “It’s about the expansion of self. You get a promotion, your team wins the Super Bowl. Joy is about the transcendence of self, when you forget about yourself. It’s when you’re dancing with others and you lose yourself...To me the highest thing to shoot for in life is moral joy, when you’re serving a cause and you care about it so much you’re not thinking about yourself at all.” 

I want to bring people more joyful experiences. When they walk away from me, I want them to feel joyful and inspired and loved. 

I haven’t been living up to that lately. Right now, it’s March 2020 and many people are worried about the coronavirus. I’m very calm about the disease itself. Most people who catch it are not in serious danger and we can take precautions to protect the most vulnerable, and of course we should be doing that. 

I’m more concerned about how fear is tanking the economy and putting my friends in the travel industry and many others out of business. And so when people text me in a panic asking what it’s like in Europe right now and aren’t I scared, I’ve tended to respond that I think the world has gone a bit hysterical and spreading fear is making the problem much worse. 

And I do believe that, and I even started to create a travel podcast episode with that tone. But then I took a step back. 

I could have responded to my friends in a more compassionate way, because people are genuinely scared. I don’t want to simply express my opinion, I want to be mindful of the energy and tone I bring to the conversation, and its outcome. How do I want someone to feel when it’s over? That I think they’re over-reacting? Or that I care about them.

I could have encouraged them to consume less news about the coronavirus, which is coming at us in a fast and furious and often repetitive way. 

Now that we’re encouraged to stay at home, we have a beautiful opportunity to do all the things we say we never have time for. We can take that online course. Reconnect with friends and family far away via video chat. Cook new recipes. Batch record a couple of podcasts. To look after neighbors who might need our help, even if it’s just to have a chat and ease their isolation. 

Your legacy is your brand

What a blessing to have this gift of time.

How will you use it to show up for your audience? How are they feeling right now, and what are the three adjectives you want them to feel after they listen to your show? How do you want them to feel when they think about you 10 years from now?

These feelings are your legacy. They are your brand. 

Being mindful of your brand and story can help you stay focused on your content and your listener. You are complex and dynamic and have a lot of interests and ideas and not all of them need to show up in your show. 

What do you want to be known for? What will your legacy be? What excites you? What kind of content will you create to build this reputation? And how will you act to back this up?

How do you want to feel every day, and how will you make others feel?

In his book High Performance Habits, Brendon Burchard has an exercise: write down the names of people in your family. In 20 years, what three words would they use to describe your interactions? Start living those 3 words now. 

Bring the joy

Another thing Brendon likes to say is “Bring the joy,” and that quote can definitely be attributed to him.

So go out there and bring the joy this week. Connect with your audience. They are looking to you for leadership and comfort and relief. That’s so powerful. 

So have fun with it. Enjoy this experience. Remember why you’re showing up, who you’re serving, and what you want your legacy to be.

You will never have this day again. Make it matter.

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