EP149: THE FREEDOM SHOW

“The secret to happiness is freedom… And the secret to freedom is courage. ”
–Thucydides, Philosopher

Today is all about freedom, happiness and the power of letting go and

Episode Summary:

I have spent the past few months aggressively purging and de-cluttering my physical and digital environments and taking inventory of my business and life.

Taking inventory means looking in the mirror and doing an honest self-audit.

One of the difficult truths or realities I came to terms with in doing a self-audit is this podcast is holding me back and it is weighing me down.

My stubbornness and determination could keep it going forever, but the reality is it has become a bit of a burden and I know that is not healthy.

I have had to remind the self-critic in me that letting go is not the same as quitting or giving up. It simply means letting go to make room for something new.

Announcement: Mike Murphy Unplugged is going on Summer Hiatus.
I have decided to press the pause button on Mike Murphy Unplugged after episode 150.
I am not done podcasting, just taking a break for now.

I started Mike Murphy Unplugged in September of 2015 and I have published a new episode every Friday morning at 6:00 am without fail. I started this podcast to help me find my voice as a creative and to give myself a foundation and platform to teach. I am extremely proud of the body of work I have created and would not trade the experience for the world, but it’s time to start a new chapter.

My Backstory of Things:

I moved from Colorado to Montana to Portland to New Hampshire and back to Colorado and traveled everywhere in between often living out of my Subaru wagon or VW Van.

The freedom and independence I had was largely due to not owning much stuff.

Being debt-free and not wanting or requiring extraneous things allowed me to be swift and pick up and go when an opportunity to travel knocked.

One Man Band
You hear me say that I am a One Man Band a lot.
This independence is what the term represents to me.
The ability to move and do what I want on my terms.
This comes from me having control and not being tied down to things.
I can pick up and go whenever I want.
I am putting in the hard work in my business to allow me to work from anywhere in the world. That is the life I want.

For me, simplifying and de-cluttering and cutting back to only having the essentials is about having control over the things that matter most in life and doing eliminating things that are not helping me achieve my business goals.

It’s easy to get stressed and overwhelmed and feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and I think a lot of you may feel this way. I refuse to live a life filled with negativity and stress and conflict, and getting rid of excess is my remedy for peace of mind regaining control.

The less I have the better I feel.

My Minimalist Process

For the past several months I have been actively cleaning house on my physical and digital spaces and I’ve turned it into a game almost to see how much stuff I can get rid of.

I started thinning things out. Everything. Even things that are small or you think don’t take up much room. It’s amazing how getting rid of the small stuff makes such a difference.

I went room by room, drawer by drawer and bag by bag.

Any gear or tool or attachment big or small that I did not use or need on a regular basis went out to the pod shed to be given away or sold on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

I cleaned out every cupboard in my kitchen and got rid of excess silverware, gadgets, plates, glasses, mugs, spices, pots and pans.
Condiments in the fridge.
Cleaning supplies. All gone.
The little things you never notice make a huge difference when you get rid of them.

I took generic artwork off the walls and got rid of furniture that served no purpose.
I cleaned out all junk drawers and only kept the essentials.
I purged pencils and pens, envelopes and anything in drawers that I rarely used.

In the bathroom, I cleaned everything under the sink and got rid of towels and supplies and kept only what I use and need. The theme to letting go. Keep the essentials and get rid of everything else. I am constantly going through my clothes and eliminating anything I do not wear on a regular basis. Shoes, sneakers, t-shirts, old sweatshirts, hats, old socks, underwear, etc. Etc. Blankets, sheets, pillows, books, cables, cords, chargers.

I took the same mode of attack on my digital and online world. I once had 10 screens of iPhone apps and am now down to 2 1/2. I cleaned all of my hard drives and Google Drives and deleted anything I no longer needed and made sure everything was perfectly backed up and mirrored so I was in complete control of my data and workflow. Applications on my Mac that I no longer use got deleted. I have been ruthless at unsubscribing from emails and have even taken it a step farther to delete as many accounts as I can. Anything and everything I do not use, I delete as it is one less notification or distraction.

What are the benefits of letting go and cleaning house?

I feel lighter and cleaner and freer.Remember, the secret to happiness is freedom.
Less stuff makes me feel swift and nimble.
Reduced stress and overwhelm from knowing what you have.

My mind is much more focused and clear.
I feel way more motivated and productive.
I’ve made a few hundred dollars so far selling things.
I do not want to buy anything new because it feels so good having less so you save money naturally.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is the process of simplifying your belongings carries over to everything you do. You really start to appreciate the little things again and prioritize what really matters in life and in my business. The trees through the forest.

My Why

Creating the life I want for me just means is that I am free to live life on my own terms and do what I want when I want. I have done this my whole life, the only difference now is that I am figuring out how to build a business that will support myself financially instead of relying on jobs and working for others.

My why for Mike Murphy LLC and Murphy Concierge and working day in and day creating content and giving it my all building an online business and brand is freedom.

Creative & Financial Freedom is my vision of success for my business.

Freedom to travel and do things that inspire me and make me happy is my vision of success for life.

I did not expect it to be easy and I knew that it would take a lot of trial and error and ups and downs and pivots and adjustments.

I recognized an area of my content creation machine that was introducing negativity in my mindset and slowing down my progress.

While I could fight through it week after week, it would be for the wrong reasons. I do not need to prove my work ethic and determination to anyone but myself and I need to do whatever it takes to
make progress.

Making the decision to press the pause button on Mike Murphy Unplugged was not an easy decision, but my heart of hearts knows it’s the right decision for now. I am not quitting or giving up, I am simply evolving and moving forward on my road to freedom and happiness.

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Music: Life of Riley & Wallpaper (incompetech.com)

Ep148: The IGTV Show

All about Instagram TV.

Episode Summary:
What is IGTV?
How does it work?
Why might you use it for your business & brand?
How do I plan on using it for Mike Murphy Co?

Follow me on Instagram & IGTV
@mikeunplugged.

What is IGTV?

IGTV was launched in late June 2018 by Instagram.
Instagram is owned by Facebook.

There are now over 1 Billion users on Instagram.
There are over 2 Billion users on Facebook.

IGTV is a standalone app, separate from Instagram, but you can access IGTV from the main Instagram app.

So what exactly is IGTV?
Many are referring to it as TV for mobile devices, aka your phones.

The channels on IGTV are you and me.

Every content creator is their own channel and it is open to anyone and everyone.

IGTV gives you a channel for you to create content that people browsing IGTV and can stop and watch and if they like what they can see, they can let you know by liking or commenting and following you, just like on Instagram.

When you open IGTV, videos start playing automatically. Just like when you turn on your TV.

Instagram gives you some options to browse including:
For You, Explore, Following & Popular and you can search for creators.

You cannot search for topics, but you can search for channels.

Open the IGTV app and videos will start playing or if you are in the main Instagram app, just look in the upper right for the Orange TV icon and that will take you into IGTV.

How Does IGTV Work?

IGTV is all about vertical videos for your phone.
The correct aspect ratio for IGTV is 9:16.
The 9 is the width and the 16 is the height.
This is the opposite of horizontal videos you would post on YouTube which have an aspect ration of 16:9. Just think vertical. Taller than it is wide.

Tip: Do not place text or important elements or graphics close to the edges when making videos for IGTV or they may get caught off on certain phones.

The most common size you will likely use for IGTV is 1080 px wide by 1920 pixels high. This is what your iPhone shoots and is the exact same aspect ratio and size for Instagram Stories.

Videos you make for IGTV must be a minimum of 15 seconds long and a maximum of 10 minutes long.

For accounts with over 10,000 followers & verified accounts can post videos up to 1-hour long, but for now, the average creator is limited to a maximum of 10-minutes per video.

You can upload videos from your phone or in a web browser like Chrome or Safari which is pretty convenient.

You can select a Custom Thumbnail or Cover Image.
You can add a Title & Description
And you have the option to Share to your Facebook Pages.

If you do have over 10,000 followers and find you have the option to upload 1-hour videos, you will have to use a web browser. Uploading from a phone is not an option for the long videos.

Viewers of your IGTV videos can leave comments that will show up in both IGTV and Instagram. They can also like and share to friends.

IGTV also integrates with Instagram Stories in that you can create links in your Stories and viewers can simply swipe up and it will take them directly to any video you link to on your IGTV channel.

So Why Should You Consider Using it for your business or brand?

For starters, remember the stat about Instagram & Facebook having 3 Billion users, well that is one important reason.

Instagram is massively popular and IGTV could be a really big deal for creators and brands to get exposure and market your business.

IGTV is the first of its kind to focus on video made for phones (vertical) and mobile devices is how people are currently consuming the most content today, so the bottom line is IGTV is relevant and is adapting to the technology and the end user.

You need to be where the eyeballs are, plain and simple and there is a lot of eyeballs on Instagram & Facebook.

You cannot win if you do not play.

You should consider using IGTV for your business and brand for many reasons, but here are a few:
You can tell the story of your brand in long-form videos.
You can market and advertise products and services.
You can entertain or educate your followers and clients.
You can network and collaborate with other brands and businesses.
You can paint the picture of who you are and what you are trying to accomplish in your own creative way.

Aside: Creating content is hard.
Keeping up with the popular social media channel or buzz of the day is exhausting.
One week you need to be doing Facebook Live and the next week it’s Instagram Live or Instagram Stories and now it’s IGTV.
You can’t do everything and be everywhere at once, but you do need to be smart and be where people are and currently Instagram is wildly popular and influential, so you should not sleep on it.

But here’s the secret, you need to get good at making content (writing, making videos, recording podcasts) because those are the core skills required to be relevant online today.

Stop worrying about it and just figure out a method that you can get content out to the world that represents you and your business or brand. It does not have to be fancy or high-production, it just has to be uploaded so people can see it.

Do not go on IGTV because everyone is doing it or it’s the latest thing. Go on IGTV because it is an opportunity to reach more people and showcase your skills or talents or products and services or whatever you are trying to achieve with your online presence. Maybe you want to grow your podcast audience. Maybe you want to send people to your YouTube channel. It doesn’t matter. It’s a a free and open stage for you to do anything. You just have to be innovative and put in the work.

How Do I Plan on Using IGTV:

I’m not overthinking and I am putting up content, but I see an open canvas and a real opportunity to showcase everything I am building in my own unique voice and style and to sharpen my skills and talents.

I am looking at IGTV like a YouTube channel but with more opportunity to be creative and mix up the content.

I plan on posting tutorials and quick tips made for vertical viewing.

I plan on creating entertaining and fun animation style videos that range from promoting this podcast to promoting Murphy Concierge that may be marketing my business but also showing my skills as a creative and video creator.

I also plan on doing behind the scenes and vlog style videos that are a little more cinematic and interesting. Not overly polished or dramatic, but visually interesting and storytelling in nature with voiceover narratives or music driving the video.

I see IGTV as the almost perfect platform for creatives to let their freak flag fly and be unique by doing something nobody else has done before.

IGTV is going to be my reality show for Mike Murphy Co and I can tell the story however I want and people will watch if it is entertaining, inspiring or they can make a connection with me. That will take trying new things and experimenting. I’m good with that and you should be too.

In short for me, IGTV I am looking at as a story-telling platform for me and my brand. I plan to share who I am am what I am doing in my own version of a vlog. A creative infomercial And to be clear, the content I create may be promoting me or showcasing my skills, but everything I make is with the end user in mind. Will this piece of content teach something or be entertaining or will it inspire people to go create something for themselves.

In conclusion:

IGTV is a standalone app on iOS & Android Phones that plays vertical videos 24/7 and it and the channels on this TV are individual creators. Everyone is welcome to create content on IGTV.

You cannot shoot live videos on Instagram TV. Videos can be uploaded from your Camera Roll on your phone or you can use a web browser on your computer, which is a nice feature.

Videos must be at least 15 seconds long and up to 10 minutes maximum. If you have over 10,000 followers or are a verified account you can upload videos up to 1 hour long, but you must use a browser to upload the longer videos.

The aspect ratio for IGTV videos is 9:16. The opposite of wide/horizontal videos you watch on YouTube. The size you will most like make for videos is 1080px wide by 1920 px high.

Why you should consider using IGTV to promote your business and brand: Because Instagram & Facebook is big. There is a lot of positive momentum. There is endless opportunity for you whether it be to grow your podcast or sell your product or simply build a community. Do not feel compelled to create IGTV because you feel pressured. Do it because you understand that connecting with people and having your message and story be heard is the name of the game, and the easiest way to do so is to go where people are. IGTV may or may not be a big deal in a few months from now and it does not matter. What matters is the practice and exercise of telling your story and building relationships with people who want to be part of your journey. IGTV is giving you a really easy platform for you to do anything you want. You just have to do it.

Me on IGTV?
I will post tutorials, but I am also figuring out how to double down on sharing my story of building an online business around teaching people how to create content and inspiring people to create the life they want, by demonstrating how I am doing it. I make no bones about it that it is hard and can be frustrating at times and there is tons of self-doubt and uncertainty involved, but I know it will be worth it and I want to take others along the ride for fuel to keep creating and to make an impact.

If you have questions about IGTV or anything, you can reach me anytime at mike@mikemurphy.co.

LISTEN TO PAST EPISODES

HOUSEKEEPING

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Music: Life of Riley & Wallpaper (incompetech.com)

EP147_THE BE GOOD SHOW

I have spent the past week laughing and crying and I also figured out the recipe for success as a content creator and I’m going to share it with you in this episode.

Episode Summary:
Today’s is about understanding what matters in life and how to build a brand and create content that makes a positive impact on others.

Today is about priorities and urgency.
You have one chance at this game of life.
Do a self-audit
The recipe for success for content creators.

The Story:

Last week I lost a friend.
Good times with Mike was all I could think about.
I know that everyone who ever came in contact with him probably had a similar experience.
He made an impact.

My to-do list and goals for business and money worries and all of the mundane things that show up nearly everyday were out of mind.

And when I was reflecting on all of the good times, I never once thought about where Mike worked or how successful he was or how much money he made. I remembered the little things and laughing and having fun and the pure joy everyone felt when he was around.

Side Tip #1:
Take photos and videos everytime you are with friends and family regardless of how many times you are together and have a system to organize and backup your photos so you can easily find and share when you really need them.

I remember Mike saying hello to everyone and holding the door for people and giving up his seat for an older person at the bar. I remember all of the nice things he did for people when nobody was looking.

Like all of us, he had so many shortcomings and weaknesses and imperfections and I didn’t remember those things as anything other than that’s who he was.

Being a good human being at the core is all I remember.

Self-Audit: Look in the Mirror

My question to you: If you leave this earth tomorrow, how do you think you will you be remembered?
Will those who knew you spend all day looking at photos and laughing and crying about all of the good times spent with you?
Will your life have a positive impact on those who meet you whether it is in person or online?

What can you do? Start today by doing the little things that make the biggest impact:
Laughing
Smiling
Saying Hello to Strangers
Being Nice to people
Doing your best
Working hard
Being reliable & dependable (someone to count on)
Being a good friend and family member.
Doing the right thing when nobody is looking.

These are universal ingredients to being a good human being.

Are you doing these things every day?

When is the last time you did a self-audit or gut check on your overall mood and attitude and the energy that you are giving out to the world.

It often takes a death or near-death experience for people to pause and reflect and that is okay.

Life Lessons & Content Creation

I have created 147 podcast episodes and looking back, the episodes that get the most feedback and comments are those where I share a personal story.

I have close to 500 videos on YouTube and the comments I get the most by a long shot are wow, thank you so much for responding. I didn’t actually expect you to.

The same thing happens when people fill out the Contact form on my website or email me directly. I cannot believe you actually wrote me back. Disbelief.

Quite honestly, this is baffling to me, because why wouldn’t I reply or answer someone who took the time to write me? Common Courtesy 101.

You are never be too busy or important to not hit reply or say thank you when someone reaches out to you. Gary Vee has millions of followers and he personally replies to emails and tweets and so do countless others who have massive followers.

Recipe For Content Creators:

Create content for people.

Is what you are making something you would want to consume and do you put effort and care into what you make?
Creating content is about establishing relationships and you should treat the relationship with your audience with the same respect you would a good friend.

Positivity.
Be optimistic and focus on the good. Make content with pure intentions.

Make content that you think will positively impact others whether it be to entertain or make them laugh or to teach them something that will help them move forward or solve a problem.

The positivity is you doing what you love and creating content you genuinely believe in.
The positivity and optimism is about your mindset and doing the right thing for the right reasons.

How does your content make people feel?

Self-Awareness.
Be you 100% of the time. You are not in a competition with anyone but yourself. You do not need to be concerned with what anyone else is doing but yourself. And you need to go all in on the things you do well.

Story.
It’s the most important element really and ties everything together.

Stories are all people remember and think about and share with others.

When my friend died, I remembered the stories.
The experiences we shared that made me smile or laugh or took me back to a place.
Stories connect people and trigger emotions and make your content relateable.

Why do people love Instagram Stories and Snapchat and likely Instagram TV? Because creators let their guard down and tell their real story by just being themselves.

Your business and brand and content is telling your story in everything you do and it’s up to you what the narrative is. You have complete control over how your story is told, but the way to make it stick and to be memorable is consistency.

My Story:The story I am telling is the journey I am on to make it as a content creator and not the actual content I make everyday.

My story is that I am putting in the hard work to create the life I want and be the best person I can be in life and in business. My story is that I am relentless and will not stop trying until I figure it all out. I tell it over and over by showing up everyday regardless of how hard it is and at the end of the day that is what people see in my content. And if the content brings value to the lives of others then the story will be shared and that is the recipe for success.

The recipe for success in business & in life:

Be nice to others.
Mean what you stay.
Spread a positive message simply by being a person of good character and working hard.
Be yourself. It’s much easier.
Go all in on what you are good at and what you enjoy.
Make content that you care about and that you genuinely think others will find value.
Make content that makes a connection with others and builds relationships. The content you create tells the story of you and your brand. Make it good and keep it real.

One at bat:

Live each day like it matters.
Create and do work like it matters.
Be the person or brand that make’s other people’s lives better just by knowing you.

LISTEN TO PAST EPISODES

HOUSEKEEPING

Subscribe To Podcast

Leave a ratings & review (if you already did, thanks)

Buy My New eBook (How To Podcast on Wordpress.com)

Ask Mike Anything

Music: Life of Riley & Wallpaper (incompetech.com)