Cliff Ravenscraft is a business and life coach who is very well known in the podcast community. Cliff has created several podcasts and has also helped many successful people with the launch of their podcasts. For years, Cliff was known as The Podcast Answer Man, he has now evolved into The Mindset Answer Man. It’s his goal to help people live the life of their dreams and do the work they feel inspired to do.
He is also the host of The Cliff Ravenscraft Show and the creator of the Free the Dream Conference. I discovered Cliff in 2006 when I started listening to Cliff's podcast about the TV show Lost. I then started my own show about the TV show Fringe in 2008. Cliff helped me choose the right equipment, and we are cherished friends to this day.
This podcast normally features the podcast stories of our clients at Pro Podcast Solutions, I knew I wanted to make some exceptions to that rule, and Cliff is the first exception. Mindset is our biggest single factor in achieving success and every other factor pales in importance. This episode is packed with inspiring information for everyone including aspiring podcasters.
Show Notes
- [03:06] Cliff is excited that Darrell is finally podcasting about podcasting.
- [04:22] Cliff gives Darrell a mindset adjustment right out of the gate.
- [04:56] If you want to start a podcast, keep in mind that there has never been another podcast out there with your thoughts and feelings being shared.
- [06:39] Darrell wanted to have a message that was different in this podcast.
- [07:47] Cliff fell in love with podcasting in 2005. He listened to tech podcasts and faith based podcasts and podcasts about Lost.
- [09:44] He thought he would call his very first podcast episode Generally Speaking. After his intro, he made the first episode about the TV show Lost. It took off, and he stuck with the topic.
- [11:35] Cliff ended up starting some other shows after his Lost podcast. He never considered the content produced by other people and how his content needed to be different.
- [12:42] Cliff focused on topics that he couldn't stop talking about. All of his content is about topics that he had passion about.
- [14:49] He has never tried to figure out what his target audience wanted to hear in order to focus on that, except for a couple of business podcasts where he ended up hating the show.
- [15:48] Cliff focuses on what he feels led to create.
- [16:51] He changed his brand from Podcast Answer Man to Mindset Answer Man. Even though he lost about 70% of his subscribers, he feels it's the best thing that he has done.
- [19:42] Cliff talks about his definition of success. When he first began podcasting, he wanted to be famous.
- [20:51] Feedback from his listeners helped change his definition of success. He and his wife Stephanie talked openly about their faith while talking about Lost. It took about 50 episodes in for him to realize how powerful it was. The things they were saying was having a positive impact on people.
- [23:20] Success for Cliff is creating content that is entertaining, educational, and inspiring.
- [26:33] Darrell attended Free the Dream last year and it was magical, inspirational, and amazing.
- [27:35] Helping people dream is where Cliff always begins with mindset work. Exploring what people want always ends up at limiting beliefs.
- [31:19] We have what we have because of actions we have taken in the past. Refusing to do something is also an action. Every action we take is based on what we believe.
- [33:32] Once you decide you believe something, you will find evidence to support it.
- [36:05] He begins with the questions of: What do you want? and Why don't you already have it? Then he goes into the beliefs behind it. You can toss aside limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering beliefs.
- [38:06] Find what you want and believe that it is possible. Write things down, and you have a 42% more likely chance to reach it.
- [40:54] Psycho Cybernetics teaches all of the principles that Cliff learned.
- [42:04] Cliff thinks about what he wants, writes it down, and tells others. Sometimes other people are the key to getting to that goal.
- [43:47] Why do you want what you want? This is the most important key. Leverage is having a big enough why. If you have a big enough why, you'll always find a way.
- [49:52] You can learn how to bring must to your dream or goal. Then you decide and take action.
- [51:01] When you decide something, you kill other outcomes. What can I do in the next 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days to get me one step closer.
- [55:24] To learn more about Cliff subscribe to the Cliff Ravenscraft Show. Get a free 60 minute session with Cliff. Listen to Episode 597 featuring Darrell talking about the Free the Dream Conference.
- [59:13] Cliff has had a huge impact on Darrell's life from helping him get started in podcasting to developing Pro Podcast Solutions.
- [01:01:29] Takeaways: Podcasting is about passion. Am I creating content that is entertaining, educational, encouraging, and inspiring? If one person has reached out, he is successful. Take time to dream and think about what you want in life. Read Psycho-Cybernetics. If you have a big enough why, you'll always find a way.
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