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Recently, I was attending a podcasting conference, and I love going to these events, not because of the sessions and the micro events happening inside of these big conferences, but what I really love is the hallways.

I love networking.

I love the community.

And just as equally, I love asking unique questions. So my favorite question to ask a podcast host or guest at any of these events is this one. Hey, what's the purpose behind your podcast right now? Or how far along on your purpose are you with what you're getting into podcast guesting for? And every time the answer is kind of the same, it's kind of immediately like, oh, whoa, like you didn't just ask me how my day's going. You asked me something a little bit deeper, right? So it kind of like breaks that mold. But again, what's the purpose behind your podcast right now or your podcast guesting right now? And the thing is pretty much 100% of the time I hear one of three things. On both sides of the microphone, it's basically exactly the same. And this is the exact order I hear them in it from a popularity standpoint. Number one is I'm trying to get more listeners. Number two is I'm trying to monetize my podcast. I'm trying to monetize my product or service. So I'm using guesting to do that. And the third thing is I'm trying to save time with building a brand or with marketing my business and I'm using podcast guesting to do that. So it comes down to more listeners,

more money, and more time. Right? That's like what it boils down to. And again, the question I asked

was, what's the purpose behind your podcast right now? I want to share why I don't think that these

answers, although they're harmless when people will answer them, but why I don't think they actually

are the real answer or the real purpose behind why somebody's podcasting. Hey, my name's Alex Sanfilippo, and if I've not met you before, I am so excited to spend this time with you today and to be able to share some ideas around reaching your podcasting goals faster. Now, first and foremost, whether you're a guest or host, this is going to be for you and also I want to share once again

that these three things are not wrong by any means but I don't believe that they're actually

the purpose and here's why I say that when people start to to get these things right the more listeners

the more money and more time in their lives it still doesn't click something feels feels like it's missing, right?

Like people kind of are like, oh, yeah, I'm getting this, but like I think I need more of it, or maybe it needs to be faster or this or that, right? And we turn to things like AI or podcast and coaches, and both are great, but all the answers are right there, right? So it's like, there's not really any question. And for some reason, we still kind of, at the end of day, like, why is this not clicking, right?

And to share a little bit deeper on that, I met somebody recently has millions of people listening to a show. I asked them, what's the purpose right now for the show? It's to get more listeners. I'm like, okay. I met somebody also in this podcasting conference who just started. They have a handful of listen to their show their goal is to get more listeners and i was like okay like what how why like

like when do you reach that right it's not really a purpose it's not really a goal because there's

nothing that it ties to it's just more more more and again i don't really think that this is the right thing we should be focused on. And at the end of the day, what I've realized is these three things are mechanisms. They're not purpose. They're not a foundation. And so because they are just a mechanism, the mechanism itself can go on forever, right? You'll never be fully satisfied with what you have, much like the person has millions of people listening and the person has a handful, right? Like, when is enough enough? And we don't know unless we tie deeper than the mechanism itself, and this is the purpose. Now, before I go too deep here, I'm going to quickly just go back in time. Anybody else like me, were you a why kid? meaning you ask your parents or anybody around you, why? I'm raising my hand right now because the reality is like, that was me to a T. My mom would say something and I'd be like, why? Why? Why, mom? Why this? Why that? And listen, I was around before Google. So I'm dating myself, yes, but also like, I don't know where this lady, who's a saint, by the way, where she was getting her answers from? If she was just making them up, if she was going to encyclopedias, or she just knew somebody that knew a bunch of stuff, or she was just a genius. I don't know what it was, but I was a why kid. And I've never done this, but at these conferences I go to, I've always wanted to ask that podcast, guest, or host, why? and occasion I do if it's somebody I know, but like I never go too deep because I don't want to get punched in the face.

Now, what I mean by... who I've always wanted to ask that podcast guest or host. Why? And occasionally I do if it's

somebody I know, but like I never go too deep because I don't want to get punched in the face. Now what I mean by that is when someone says, I want to get more listeners. Why? So I can grow my brand. Why? So I can get more recognition. Why? So that I can. Dot, dot, dot, dot, dot. Just keep on drilling down to that. And listen, if you want me to summarize this whole talk, I'm going to have five

points for you today that I think you're dot dot dot just keep on drilling down to that and listen if you want me to

summarize this whole talk and I have five points for you today that I think you're going to be

really helpful but if you want to just get out of the core of it just ask yourself why until you

cannot answer it anymore and that is your foundation that is where you're getting started

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