Shooting My Shot

HOLY MOLY. I just decided to shoot my shot in the most major way.

On one of the very first episodes of my podcast, I mentioned one particular person who would be my dream guest someday. This is back when I had maybe 60 downloads per week…I was dreaming big.

Well, friends, it’s been a wild ride the last 1.5 years, and now Paring Down gets over 30,000 downloads per month. (WHAT??) 

My dream guest just announced that she’s releasing a book this September, and I immediately thought…could this actually happen?

I submitted my request this morning to invite her on the show. It might happen and it might not…but the fact that it’s even in the universe as a viable possibility is blowing my mind.

I’m not name dropping quite yet (trying not to embarrass myself too badly), but as I sit here in my jittery excitement, I wanted to share this little happening with you all because I hope it serves as an encouraging reminder that when we consistently show up toward our goals…things happen.

I’m not saying there isn’t a bit of luck or divine intervention or good timing, but I do know that those things rarely offer us a boost if we don’t already have the foundation of consistency. 

The first 9 months of Paring Down was a slowwwww climb. Week after week, I posted the best episode I could, ignoring the painful analytics and embarrassing mistakes. I posted 5-6 reels on Instagram per week, hoping to drive traffic to the podcast, even though it felt like only the same five people saw anything I posted. 

Here – I did some math. I posted over 250 reels and nearly 40 episodes before Paring Down took off. 

For me, the win is not whether or not my dream guest says “yes.” (But SAY A PRAYER.) It’s not in the numbers, either. It’s in the valuable lesson to keep going – to show up not because of any outside validation, but because of inner devotion and excitement. 

So whether you want to live in a decluttered home or gain 20 pounds of muscle or host a successful podcast…let this be your reminder to keep showing up consistently. Keep doing the best you can day after day, week after week, with passion and enthusiasm – because the results will follow. 

Maybe the poster in my 5th grade English class said it best: “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” (Norman Vincent Peale)