I talk to a LOT of people who want to start their “thing”…whether it's a podcast, their business, social media. But something holds them back.

You might even relate to some of these:

• What if I end up not liking it?
• What if I can’t keep up with it?
• What if it doesn’t work?

I get it—because I had ALL of these thoughts when I started my podcast.

When I started, I had no idea what I was doing.

No intro music. No editing skills. No certainty about where it would lead.

But I started anyway. And what happened?

• My podcast grew—without theme music.
• I built an audience—without knowing if I could sustain it.
• I found my mission—without having one fully defined at the start.

I didn’t overthink it. I just did it. And that’s what gave me clarity.

Here’s the thing: You don’t find clarity before you start. You find it by starting.

Which I know is easy for me to say... 😏

But as long as we're talking about starting, let me share two big mistakes I've seen when people start:

1. They over-niche too early. They try to pick an overly specific audience or mission before they are sure they know what feels right.
2. They stay stuck when something isn’t aligned. They’re afraid of pivoting because it feels like “failure.”

How do I know? I’ve done both. 😬

When I first started, I created my podcast just for musicians, like me. People who had gone "all-in" on a career only to find out that there are MANY things that aren't great about it. I wanted to give them hope, I wanted to showcase the ones that were creating a life of freedom and opportunity on their own terms.

And over time I heard from listeners who told me the messages in those episodes were for anyone inspired by those things.

People reached out all the time to tell me that the episode they just listened to would help students, young adults in any field, and even people who wanted to change careers and start their own thing. It was for anyone seeking growth and a new way to think about their careers. I loved that feedback, and I was happy that people who weren't musicians enjoyed it.

And little by little, I realized I was wanting something bigger. I wanted more. Which confused me.

Eventually I felt that I needed to move on, because I knew what I cared about and wanted to do could reach a much larger audience.

Which is why I know now that it's important to make sure your niche expands with you, not traps you.

And if I knew then what I know now, I would have likely built my brand/podcast differently (but I'm glad I have that information for what I'm doing now! And the experience of having done it the way I did is absolutely priceless.)

What I'm really saying here is, if you try something and realize it’s not a fit? That’s valuable information.

And the second point: You don’t have to stick with something just because you started it.

I continued my podcast and grew it for close to six years. It was such an incredible experience. It allowed me to build a business, earn money, and get a TON of great experience and knowledge.

And I *did* make a lot of changes over those years to make it work better for me!

I took breaks. I decided to have seasons that had the summers off. I invited on different types of guests that I thought were interesting and would be valuable to my audience, like writers and other types of business creators.

But once I knew it was no longer aligned, I had to give myself permission to pivot.

Here's how to solve these issues before you start...

If you’ve been hesitating on starting something because you’re afraid of “getting it wrong,” try this:

1. Lower the stakes. Treat it as a test, not a forever decision.
2. Give yourself a timeline. Try it for 30 days or one season, then reassess.
3. Focus on learning, not outcomes. Instead of “Will this work?” ask, “What will I learn?”
4. Be willing to pivot. Changing direction isn’t failure—it’s wisdom.
5. Don't be afraid to ask. The best thing to do at the beginning is *get guidance* from someone who has the experience. You'll save yourself a lot of headache later! 😉

This mindset shift has changed everything for me. When I let myself experiment, I stopped overthinking and started moving. I admit - it's hard to go when you wish it was just f-ing figured out already. But in my experience? I find out while doing. So now I'm embracing it!

Your next step...

What’s something you’ve been hesitating on because you’re afraid of changing your mind?

Take one small action today—write the post, send the email, start the thing. Your future self will thank you.

Tracy

P.S. If podcasting is the thing you’ve been considering, or you're wondering if it is but want to brainstorm on it, hit reply and let's chat!