Here is the complete transcript of the podcast
On the podcast today, we are talking about podcasts. Specifically, we’re talking about this podcast. And I’m answering a question that a friend of mine asked me just a few days ago. And he was asking me about some numbers on this podcast. He was assessing my success in a good way and in a private conversation. But I thought I’m going to talk about it here. Because if he’s asking, he’s a listener of the podcast, and he’s asking me this question. Chances are that as a listener of this podcast, you might be also having this question, or maybe you’re considering starting your podcast. If that is the case, then for sure this is going to be of help. And let’s say you are a completely, totally new listener to this podcast, and you happen to be stumped, stumbling upon today’s podcast episode. In that case, also, I think you’ll find some value. There is a message in this welcome, or welcome back to successfully Srini Happy Saturday morning to you. It’s a Saturday, I keep Saturday podcast, podcast episodes. Very light. So I want to keep this light. So the question was this. So my friend is asking me Srini, how much money are you making from your podcast? He listens to this podcast every day? That’s the question.
I said I don’t make any money. He says, Oh, you’re doing this for a year. And how many people listened to a podcast? I said I do not know I started this. I think we’re close to 20,000 downloads now. I said I started this podcast, starting the first of January, kind of daily podcast, on an average about 3000 2000 to 3000. downloads a month, do is a good number to go with initially did not have that kind of downloads at the beginning of January, February, March, and April. And tilapia May, it’s May is when it started really taking off. And then this month in November. As of now, we crossed 3200 downloads for this podcast. So clearly, nothing big about this, nothing to talk about nothing to celebrate any of those things. There are some rankings, independent websites, and different rating organizations. They all rate podcasts, there are some ratings, but I’m not worried about that.
So the question, which I did not answer, but I’m doing now is why would somebody do a podcast, if it is not making money, I never said My goal is not to make money with this. If I have to make money with this, I need to run ads, I need to have guests who pay me money, for me to interview them, and things like that. There are different ways to monetize a podcast. But the point is, you don’t need to. And I never felt a need for thinking about making money. Because this act of podcasting and recording does not work for me. I do this in my sleep. It’s actually a state of meditation for me. I can wake up anytime in the day. And I can record for 1015 20 minutes. And it doesn’t. I’m not worried about how I speak or what I say. I’m worried about what I say, but not the way I say it. I’m not worried about oh, I need to have a clean recording, I need to have a great sounding podcast, I’m not worried about the cosmetics, I’m worried about the content. I’m worried about the way I express myself, which I don’t need to work a lot on. But still, I have to work. So internally, I’m trying to develop myself. And I’m constantly trying to improve everything. But then I’m not worried about it. I don’t use lack of excellence to become becoming a hindrance to what I’m trying to do. So this is my happiness game. Because this is my happiness given not worried about money.
Now let’s talk about money for a second why do people talk about money? See there is an underlying belief that money makes or brings happiness. And there is some truth to it. But beyond the point, it doesn’t see if you’re making 234 100 $500,000 a year, maybe a million dollars will buy you some more happiness. So you are working towards making a million. But let’s say you’re already making three or $5 million a year and you want to go to $20 million. Let’s say you think by making $15 million $15 million more. I can’t get the math right. So you make five you’re trying to make 15 more you think that that’s going to completely drastically change your happiness. It gives you the feeling of okay, I have done it, I now make 20 million a year. But, that feeling doesn’t necessarily translate into anything on the ground. So beyond a point, it’s nothing beyond a point you will continue to stand happy, you will continue to stay depressed will continue to stay disconnected and disjointed and aloof. And all that and all problems, all worries that that otherwise is that you are trying to avoid, may persist even after you’re making a lot of money. So the point is, and it clear proof of that is it’s already there, all rich people live, if all rich people, you know, all these people can make more money, okay, because money brings in money. So if money brings in money any rich man or woman makes can make a lot of money. And if they do make a lot of money, if that is the case, if that’s the truth, why is that? There is so much unhappiness. There’s so much of you know, I don’t know, all kinds of issues. Why rich people aren’t happy if that’s the case? So if you want to raise the happiness game, right? That means you have to become altruistic. That’s the only way you can when you can, you can really, you know, stay happy. That means you commit yourself to the service of others. That means you will help others there is no other way out of this. So why are people who make a lot of money? And why is that I was just speaking about this recently, at a fundraiser, I said why people give them money. Rich people are giving away money. Because they know that true happiness comes. That is one of happiness, real happiness is when they start practicing altruism. That’s it. That’s the truth. So again, I’m not saying this, but I’m not looking to make money with the podcast, it’s good. It’s good to make money, any activity, if it makes money, great. But that’s, that’s not the primary driver. And not only that, to make money, it takes time. Everything takes time. Everything takes effort. So this is not something that you step out and say, Well, okay, I started a podcast six weeks ago, I’m gonna make money, it doesn’t work.
Now, I also want to, you know, emphasize, we’re talking about money. See, money doesn’t give a sense of purpose. So if you have a sense of purpose, and you don’t have money, you still will be happy, you will achieve your will, and you will work towards that purpose, in whatever way you can. And money along the way can accelerate that outcome, and money will help you. But it’s not an absolute requirement. And that is why you see people, who really don’t have much for themselves, but they’re able to create great organizations that are able to achieve big things and impact the world at a whole different level altogether. And they don’t have that anything for them. Really, I mean, they, they don’t have anything going for themselves, but they have this big thing going for themselves, or for everybody else. So that means they’re driven by a purpose. So money helps, but not a necessity. Now, here’s the other side of the argument. A life without a purpose is futile. It’s a waste, you wake up in the morning, you’ll lead your life your day, like a dead body, and then you just go to sleep as if without anything, and then you wake up the next morning, with the same story. You don’t know what to do with the time you don’t know what to do with your ideas you don’t know what to do with anything practical.
So a purpose is necessary if you want to have a compelling life a purpose is necessary. I think the bottom line is this unless there is a purpose unless it’s compelling enough It’s futile to think about becoming happy. And Witten these words purpose compelling life happiness there is no mention of money anywhere. See money is a byproduct money is secondary, it comes great doesn’t it doesn’t come it’s okay it has a life of its own. Money has a life of its own. Some people are obnoxiously wealthy do not know Rich do not know why some people work all their life they can never get there we do not know because these dynamics are unknown to mankind. I will tell you a lot of people tell you if I can do it, you can do it. You know if I can get this you know if I can make this work then you can anybody can make this work. People make statements, but every mind is different. Every brain is wired differently. So why something’s wrong But to some, some things do not happen some nobody knows. But the key is to set a life that is driven by a purpose or multiple purposes. And then you see the game happen. And then you are never unhappy, then you’re always attracting wealth. Leonardo. No more he said an incredible thing he said The miracle is that the more you give, the more you have. Incredible quote right there. Leo Nimoy was Captain spark in the old Star Trek series. The miracle is, the more you give, the more you have. Hey, you don’t have money? What will you give? Give your time. Give your ideas. Give your intent. Do you know? Okay, I promise I’ll keep it light. I’ll leave it. I’ll close it here. Have a wonderful weekend. A great Saturday, November is coming to an end and we are soon within a few days, we are stepping into the month of December last month of this year.
So whatever goals you have, and you’re struggling to even decide what your purpose is, use this time, the next four weeks to define a purpose for yourself so that you can set your life on the path to achieving that next year, or going forward for how much amount of time it will take. Okay, that’s all you enjoy your weekend, your Saturday. And before you know it, I’ll be with you as early as tomorrow. Thank you.