So, apparently I’ve decided to add “enter a podcast contest” to my list of things I’m doing with my life.
Because why not?
I came across a contest through TopHost where you can enter for a chance to win your own six-episode podcast. And obviously my immediate thought was:
Well, I have a lot of opinions and approximately zero qualifications to stop me.
So I signed up.
And then I discovered there’s another little detail I somehow missed the first time around:
There’s also a $25,000 prize.
Excuse me?
I thought I was just entering a contest to potentially get six episodes of a podcast. Suddenly there’s twenty-five thousand dollars sitting over there like, “Oh, hey, you could also completely change your life if you happen to win.”
Which is both exciting and hilarious because let’s be realistic.
I’m probably not going to win.
I don’t have a massive following. I’m not some established podcast host with hundreds of thousands of people waiting for my next thought. My little corner of the internet is very much still in the “hello, is anyone actually reading this?” phase.
And honestly?
That’s okay.
I’m not entering because I think I’m destined to win. I’m entering because I want to try.
That has been a weird theme of my life lately.
Trying things before I feel ready.
Applying for things when I’m not sure I’m qualified.
Putting myself out there even when there are people who are objectively more established, more experienced, or have way more followers than I do.
Because if I automatically disqualify myself every time I think, “Well, they probably won’t pick me,” then I’m making the decision for them.
And I’m getting really tired of doing that to myself.
Do I think I’m going to walk away with $25,000?
No.
Do I think I’m going to magically become the next big podcast host because I filled out an application?
Also no.
But could I potentially get six episodes of a podcast and an opportunity to prove that I can actually do this?
Absolutely.
And that’s pretty freaking cool.
There’s something freeing about trying when you’ve already accepted that you might not win. You get to enjoy the experience instead of turning it into a referendum on your worth.
Maybe someone with 500,000 followers wins.
Maybe someone with years of podcasting experience wins.
Maybe someone I’ve never heard of wins.
Or maybe, by some completely ridiculous plot twist, they look at my application and think:
Yeah. Her.
I’m not counting on it.
But I’m also not going to count myself out before I even give myself a chance.
So here I am.
Entering a podcast contest.
Possibly competing for $25,000.
With my very modest little following.
What could possibly go wrong?
At the very least, I get to say I tried.
And honestly, I’ll take that over never entering at all.
