Episode 298 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

The Real Cause of Perfectionism and Procrastination When Starting a Podcast

If you're reading this, you've probably been thinking about starting a podcast for what feels like forever. You’ve got the idea, maybe you bought the mic, maybe you’ve even planned out a few episodes, but you keep delaying hitting “publish.” That wall? Fear. It’s the sneaky little voice that says, “What if it’s not good enough?” or “What if no one listens?”

If you’re sitting there nodding (or cringing), you’re not alone in this. Fear doesn’t make you a perfectionist, it makes you human. But here’s the thing: procrastination and perfectionism aren’t just roadblocks—they’re fears masquerading as caution. And once you get past them? Your podcasting journey becomes the game changer for your business that it was always meant to be.

Recently I sat down with Dr. Christine Li, a clinical psychologist and podcast host, to dive into the real reason so many of us procrastinate when it comes to hitting publish on our podcasts—and spoiler alert: it’s not because you’re not capable.

What No One Tells You About Starting a Podcast

Christine shared how her own fears almost kept her from starting a podcast. Even though she was a seasoned professional, with over twenty-five years of experience as a clinical psychologist, she still faced those same doubts that so many aspiring podcasters do. “I had this emotional wall,” Christine said. “What will it be like to have my voice out there? What will people think? Will they like it?”

She wasn’t just worried about the technical aspects of podcasting—it was the idea of sharing her thoughts and ideas on a public platform triggered the feelings of vulnerability and fear of judgment. “I felt like I wasn’t ready. What if it wasn’t good enough? What if I didn’t have something valuable to say?”

But Christine realized something powerful: “You can’t let the fear of being judged stop you from getting started,” she explained. “The hardest thing about podcasting is pressing publish. Once you get past that, everything else falls into place.”

Christine’s story is a perfect example of how it doesn’t matter how experienced you are or how well you know your subject matter. These fears of judgment, of failure, and of not being good enough are normal, and they affect all of us. The key is not letting these fears hold you back.

The Real Cost of Waiting to Start a Podcast

That “right time” you’re waiting for? Spoiler: It doesn’t exist. Dr. Christine Li admitted she spent four years hesitating, convinced she needed everything to be just right before hitting publish. “I wish I hadn’t waited so long,” she confessed. “But I had to go through my own process to be ready.” Here’s the hard truth:

Every minute you spend wondering if your podcast idea is “good enough” is a minute someone else is using to launch their show and capture your potential listeners.

“When you delay, you’re only thinking about how complicated or scary things will be,” Christine shares. Maybe you’re telling yourself it’s too complicated, too much work, or that you’re not ready yet. But the catch is the longer you wait, the more you reinforce the idea that it’s too hard. And when you keep telling yourself something is hard, your brain buys into it. It starts to believe the story you’re feeding it.

The truth is, starting a podcast is only as complicated as you make it. 

So, Christine decided not to wait until she had it all figured out. She made the choice to show up, hit publish, and see where it took her. As she says, “The moment you press publish, you own it. That’s when your authority starts showing up.” That first episode (which won’t be perfect), is your chance to take full ownership of your message. Every time you press publish, you’re building your authority and bringing yourself one step closer to becoming the podcaster you’ve dreamed of being.

Turning Your Podcast into a Powerful Client Acquisition Tool

Christine’s podcast wasn’t just a fun side project. She built it as a key part of her business strategy. “I gained clients just from someone listening to one episode,” Christine said. And that’s the real power of podcasting—when done right, it can turn your audience into your business’s biggest asset.

It’s easy to think of a podcast as just a content channel, but Christine knew from the start that it was about much more than that. It’s easy to get hung up on all the “what-ifs,” wondering if your podcast will really pay off. But every time you press publish, you’re demonstrating your expertise and deepening the connection with your audience, turning your podcast into a tool that attracts the right clients—clients who feel like they already know you because they’ve been listening to your voice.

Embrace the Identity of a Successful Podcaster

So if it’s true then that you’ll never feel 100% ready, then it’s time to stop holding yourself back. As Dr. Christine Li shared, “When people delay, typically they are only thinking about the starting line and before that period of time. And they fill that space, which is just a space when you think about it, with thoughts of how complicated, how expensive, how impossible it is, how inconveniencing things are going to be. But humans aren’t inclined to calculate all of the benefits that will come to you automatically when you cross the starting line.”

In other words? Crossing the starting line dissolves all fear.

It might sound counterintuitive at first—especially when we’re conditioned to think we need to “do” everything first to “have” the results. But Christine shares, you have to be the person who is already a bingeworthy top podcaster right now and fully own that identity, even before you’ve hit publish on your first episode. Then once you own that identity, you’ll naturally start to do the actions that align with that identity—like pressing publish, showing up, and putting in the work. And finally, as you continue to take those actions, you’ll have the results you desire: a podcast that’s growing, a stronger audience, and clients who connect with your message.

How to Stop Overthinking and Finally Press Publish on Your Podcast

Dr. Li, who credits much of her success to the guidance she received through PodLaunch®, shares an important lesson for anyone still hesitating to press publish: “A successful podcaster understands that there are going to be episodes that kick it and get a lot of downloads. And then there will be episodes that you think are fantastic that very few people listen to.”

Her advice? Stop focusing on the download numbers and instead focus on the work. “Put your head down and do the work. Don’t watch the download numbers,” she says. “Of course, I watched the download numbers,” she laughed, “but it’s the work itself that’s important, and the quality of what you produce that’s really going to make the podcast.”

Christine also credits the support and structure of PodLaunch® for helping her overcome those early fears and take action. “Thank you, Courtney, for being the root, the gardener, the waterer, the facilitator... and for the incredible PodLaunch® community you’ve created. I appreciate you.”

For anyone still holding back, Christine’s message is clear: 

“Get to that point where you've forgotten all of your nervousness about doing this thing. Get to the point where you're being the successful podcaster. It’s great.”

So, if you're ready to stop overthinking and start your podcasting journey, take a page from Christine’s playbook. Step into the role of a successful podcaster right now—even before you hit publish. You don’t need to wait for perfection. You’re ready now.

And if you’re an established coach, consultant, or creator and you’re ready for a proven strategy to launch and scale a podcast that grows your business with a full team of podcast experts by your side to help you implement it, book a free strategy call with our team to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch® — we’re here to help.

Or if you’re just here for the content and want more free advice on starting a podcast, growing a podcast, and turning your listeners into clients, make sure you hit “Follow” for Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode.

Up Next:

In the next episode, we’re debunking outdated podcasting advice that’s slowing your progress (without you realizing it) and I’ll reveal what I’m *not* doing to grow my podcast — and how cutting back has led to up to 32% month-over-month growth.

You’ll learn exactly how to apply the same approach to reach more listeners with your message and turn your podcast into a lead-gen machine — all while freeing up your time to actually enjoy the process of podcasting. (Spoiler: That’s Stephen Bartlett’s secret to 1 billion downloads.)

So if you’re ready to grow your podcast without adding more to your plate (and maybe even taking a few things off), don’t miss the next episode!