The Hill You’re Willing to Die On
The Hill You’re Willing to Die On
What hill are you willing to die on? That thing that is so important to you you’re willing to, as the founding fathers of America said, sacrifice your life, your fortune and your sacred honor?
The hill you’re willing to die on should be the core theme of your show.
It should be the core theme of the message of your show. It should guide every element, every part of the show, every decision that you make. Every guest that you bring onto your podcast, should you choose to have a podcast that has guests, must revolve around this hill that you’re willing to die on.
I’ve heard this phrase used in the context of, “Are you willing to die on that hill?” Meaning, is it really worth the risk inherent in doing such a thing? Oftentimes the answer to that question is no, I want to live to fight another day as they say.
But when you are the host of a podcast, there has to be a hill that you are willing to die on. Something that means so much to you personally, so intimately connected with your inner being, that you’re willing to risk everything. Okay, “everything” might be a bit extreme. But you’re really sticking your neck out anytime you publish something for others to hear.
So now that we have a bit of a working definition of the hill that you’re willing to die on, let’s talk about how you can discover or you can find within you, the hill that you’re willing to die on.
In all certainty, it’s going to be different from the person or the group of people that have inspired you to take the risk and start your own podcast. Perhaps it’s someone who’s really successful with a podcast, they have a really large following, a really solid message. They seem to have a solid set of principles that guide them in their business, in their podcast, everything they do.
That’s wonderful that you have someone who inspires you in that way. You want to follow in their footsteps and throw your hat in the ring and start your own show. We all mimic someone successful when we get started.
There are times it’s pure drudgery to do a podcast. That message that compels you to do the show will make all the difference between whether you quit or not.
That superstar influencer that inspired you to do a podcast doesn’t have the same values. They don’t have the same upbringing. They don’t have the same background. They don’t have the same interests.
They don’t view the world the same as you do.
Only you view the world the way that you do, and that’s likely a big reason why you felt compelled to do a podcast in the first place!
SPEAK YOUR MIND
I have come to realize that a lot of people put themselves in a bit of a box when it comes to what they feel comfortable saying.
They feel like, “There’s this one thing that I really want to say, but nobody else is saying it, so should I really say it?”
The answer is, “YES!” You absolutely should say it. In fact, the fact that no one else is saying it could very well be the sign that you need to say it!
I’m referring to an ideal, or a cause of some sort that is the hill you’re willing to die on. The thing you’re convinced this has to be said, and so you have to say it, because chances are there are other people out there who are hungry for what you have to say. They’re thinking the same thing and are saying, “I wish someone was out there saying this.”
If you take the risk and you are out there sticking your neck out, saying that thing, guess what? You have established yourself as a leader in your field, and people follow leaders.
What you want with a podcast is a clearly defined niche and laser-focused message centered around that hill you’re willing to die on.
Why should anyone listen to you? Unless you have a hill you’re willing to die on as the focal point of your show, you’re just some dude with a podcast. I’m sorry to use such blunt language, but you’re nobody.
If you go through all of the work to begin a podcast, you perhaps pay an editor or a producer to do the grunt work — only to say what everybody else is saying, or you’re playing it safe because you don’t want to offend people, why bother doing it?
When you have that hill you’re willing to die on, you are going to get a reaction.
If you say it with clarity and confidence, it will ruffle feathers and get the attention of some very important people in your industry, which is never a bad thing.