Yesterday while sitting at Roman's basketball practice, I finally took the time to write out something I've been thinking about for a while.

I love hosting the LifeDesign+ podcast, a love that started when I launched the All About Your Benjamins Podcast back in January 2018. When I first started AAYB, my goal was to have on other financial professionals who would end up being on Michael Kitces' Financial Advisor Success Podcast (the most popular financial advisor podcast) in the future--just starting out, it's hard for a podcast host to get the big names that draw in new listeners, so I decided I'd focus on the advisors who were on the come up and interview them before they became the big names of the future.

As I look back at my guest list on All About Your Benjamins, I have to pat my Self on the back because I did exactly what I set out to do---the folks I had on my podcast back then are many of the leaders in the space today.

When I started LifeDesign+, I had bigger audiences and making the various podcast charts in sight. Not to say that those two things can't happen, but I just no longer care for that to be my goal. As I look around at the shows at the top of the charts and those with the biggest audiences, they're all talking to the same people.

It's the same conversations.
It's the same people on each other's shows.
It's a lot of trading audiences.

Meanwhile, I've had some amazing conversations with people who have amazing stories and insights that no one knows---they've never been on a podcast, they don't write a blog, and they aren't "famous". I also know a lot of people who are known in their circle, but they've never had the opportunity to share their stories or message outside of their communities.

I want to have these people on LifeDesign+.

I want to use LifeDesign+ to bring fresh voices, inspiring stories never heard before, and perspectives that are outside of the box because you can find the same old conversations on all of the big podcasts.

These are the type of guests I've been having on LifeDesign+ so far, which is a big reason I've enjoyed it so much. I don't want to lose sight of what I love so much about the podcast with a goal that might pull me away from what I enjoy.

And this is not a jab at the big podcasts and the high-profile guests; I get why they only have big names on their shows and why they only go on shows with large audiences.

It's one thing for me to keep this idea in my head, but I know the power of writing it down (or typing it out) and I know the additional power of sharing it with the world.

So I wrote a manifesto and shared it on social media and woke up this morning realizing I should also share it was my Daily Note and add it to the LifeDesign+ podcast description (provided it allows for that long of a description).

One final thought

When I first came up with the idea of the manifesto, I questioned whether or not I was copping out and bailing on a goal because I didn't have the traction as far as subscribers and listeners to reach the podcast charts and high-profile guests.

Was I making an excuse and changing my goal because I was scared or felt like I was failing?

I guess it is possible that the answer is "yes," but I honestly do not believe that's the case.

One of the main reasons I know that I'm not running from a big goal is that historically, highlighting great people with great people with great messages and stories is what I do---All About Your Benjamins, The Talkin' Shop videos I used to shoot, and IG Lives I've done are the evidence I need to prove this.

Another reason, and probably most important, is it FEELS right.

While having a top-ten podcast would be cool, making that my goal does not feel authentic to me and it never did---that's not why I create, never has been, and never will be.

I create because I love doing it, I have something I think someone may find valuable, and I want to help others share their message because I know how hard (and frustrating at times) it can be to not get the opportunity you feel you deserve.

What I realized in writing the manifesto out last night is that this is the direction the podcast has always been going and should continue to go; it doesn't mean I can't have a high-profile guest on from time to time, and you'll see a pre-determined list of who I have made exceptions for, but the guest list will not be dominated by the names you see on all of the other podcasts.

My alignment of spirit, mind, and body allows me to know the manifesto is right for me and the podcast and also gives me a sneaky suspicion that the audience will continue to grow and the podcast will rise in popularity to whatever level it's supposed to because people will enjoy hearing fresh new voices from people they can relate to.

Ok, here's the LifeDesign+ Podcast Manifesto:

The LifeDesign+ Podcast Manifesto

As podcasts continue to move towards being highly focused on downloads, subscribers, and other quantitative metrics many shows are chasing the same high-profile guests and these high-profile guests will only appear on podcasts with a certain number of subscribers or downloads, which I understand. However, this leaves us with the same podcasts getting the same guests and listeners constantly hearing the same stories.

LifeDesign+ will not play this game.

Instead, LifeDesign+ will focus on bringing new voices to listeners. The size of the guest’s audience does not matter. The number of previous podcast appearances does not matter. The guest’s “fame” does not matter.

What matters is the guest has an important message, is someone I genuinely want to talk with, and is someone I believe has the potential to be on those famous podcasts in the future.

There are far too many brilliant people with important messages and stories to tell, but never get the chance to be heard because they aren’t “big” enough—the size of someone’s audience or level of popularity is not necessarily a reflection of the value of their message; in fact, sometimes its the “unknown” that has the message that is needed because it hasn’t been heard yet.

There is a list of high-profile guests for whom an exception will be made for because I am a huge fan of them and if I should ever have the chance to talk with them, I will not pass that opportunity up.

List of exceptions:

Kendrick Lamar
J. Cole
Rick Rubin
Russ
Rich Roll
Dr. Joe Dispenza
Steph Curry
Oprah
Rihanna
Ryan Holiday
Natalie Portman
Jay-Z
Eckhart Tolle
Mark Wahlberg
Cole Bennett
Jessica Alba
Jimmy Iovine
Dr. Dre

** I reserve the right to add to this list at any time

I’m excited to spend more time finding fresh new voices to bring to everyone looking to master the art of living their authentic life.

Keep Pursuing,
JC

See you tomorrow (or later today) and keep pursuing,

JC
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