How I plan to be better than 99% of podcasters in 2 years
24 months.
That’s how much time it’s going to take to go from an unknown podcaster with less than 100 downloads per episode to over 5,000, ranking in the top 1%.
That sounds crazy, but here’s how I’m going to do it.
- Learn how to ask great questions
- Learn how to listen
- Be consistent
- Be the ultimate professional
- Study and learn from the best
Let’s break these skills down one at a time.
1. Learn how to ask great questions
In his book A More Beautiful Question, Warren Berger defines a beautiful question as:
“an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something—and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change.”
The goal of my podcast is to show people how they can think differently in order for them to grow as individuals.
I want my audience to come away with actionable insights they can immediately use to work towards building themselves a better life.
To do this I need to learn how to ask better questions.
Beautiful questions.
Questions that allow my guests to share the deeper truths behind their success and how they brought about meaningful change in their lives.
2. Learn how to listen
Listening is more than just waiting for the next opportunity to speak.
It’s the ability to understand the message behind the words being said. It’s to get at the core of someone’s beliefs.
But to get there, it often takes asking two, three, or even four layered questions to uncover the real story.
And that’s where listening comes in.
I need to know when to press for deeper insights—and just as importantly, when to move on.
After all, my podcast isn’t an interrogation; it’s a conversation.
I’m looking to improve upon a variety of listening techniques including active, reflective, and empathetic listening.
These techniques will help me to:
- Identify patters and repetitions
- Listen for emotional responses
- Pay attention to hesitations (which can signal internal conflict)
These three are all strong signals of deeper meaning that, when explored, are likely to create genuine and powerful moments between myself and my guests.
3. Be consistent
Being the best isn’t easy.
In fact, it’s incredibly hard.
Luckily, we know that to be the best, we need to put in the work of learning and mastering our craft.
This journey—the long and dark place between starting to mastery—is what Seth Godin calls “The Dip.”
As Seth describes it:
“Almost everything in life worth doing is controlled by The Dip”
It’s not always fun. It’s definitely not easy. But success is on the other side, and the only way to get through it, is to go through it.
That means showing up every day, putting in the work to develop the skills that will make me better.
It means understanding that consistent, deliberate effort is the only guaranteed way to build the daily habits that lead to success.
And then, one day, just like that, I’ll be among the best.
People who don’t know me might call me an overnight success.
One that just happened to be years in the making.
4. Be the ultimate professional
I want every guest to leave saying: “That was the best podcast I’ve ever been on.”
How is that going to happen?
I don’t have a fully defined answer for this yet, but here’s is how I plan to get there:
- Doing deep research on each guest so I can ask questions they’ve never been asked before
- Create a seamless process from initial outreach to the moment they step into the studio
- Deliver a memorable experience from the second they arrive to the moment they leave
- Continue to build relationships even after the episode is released
Imagine a guest walks into my studio, feeling instantly at ease, knowing they’re about to have a conversation unlike any other.
That’s the level of professionalism I’m aiming for.
Will this help me get to the top 1% of all podcasts?
I don’t know.
But what I do know is that I will treat every guest with the highest level of professionalism—because they are the key to my success.
5. Study and learn from the best
Tony Robbins says:
“If you want to achieve success, all you need to do is find a way to model those who have already succeeded.”
Lucky for me, there are some great podcasters I admire who I can learn from:
- Steven Bartlett (Diary of a CEO)—Exceptional active listening skills.
He dives deep into the mind of his guests, drawing out unfiltered stories and powerful moments. - Chris Williamson (Modern Wisdom)—Intellectual curiosity at its finest.
He makes complex topics accessible while maintaining deep, thought-provoking discussions. - Joe Rogan (The Joe Rogan Experience)—A master conversationalist.
His effortless flow keeps conversations candid, engaging, and entertaining. - Sean Evans (Hot Ones)—The king of research.
His deep and insightful questions surprise and delight guests, elevating every conversation.
Developing these five skills won’t be easy.
But I don’t think it’ll be that hard either.
Effort + time will equal success.
In two years, I’ll either be in the top 1% of podcasters—or I’ll have learned exactly what it takes to get there.
Either way, I’m all in.
Now if you want to follow this journey in real-time, I go live every Monday on YouTube.
I break down what I did the previous week, analyze the data, figure out what worked (and what didn’t), and plan out the next steps.
It’s all about learning, improving, and growing together, so I hope to see you there!