How is your playlist? Have you been repeating the same soundtrack in your skull? I am not writing about the music in your life. It is all about the mantras that we repeat in our news/talk radio-focused heads.
Ok, I am not talking about being delusional. The biggest lie that you can ever tell is the lie that you tell yourself. But we tell ourselves things. Perhaps you are in a bad marriage or relationship. Maybe you are in a stressful situation in your work life. We all need to evaluate our current vulnerabilities and triumphs.
So, that voice inside your head: What is it telling you or what are you telling yourself?
I hate to bring up religion, but one of the most important aspects of having some sort of faith is that you recognize that there is something greater than yourself. This is not a weakness. It is a strength. While I would enjoy having you share my particular faith, you may not feel called to what I worship. In a philosophical sense, we all have some sort of faith. You may be Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or another faith.
The idea with nearly all religion is that humanity is not the peak. Humans are a selfish lot that often have terrible impulses. You may believe in the science. If you follow history, science has been abused for absolute terror. Science has been used to keep people in slavery. Science has been used to commit all sorts of atrocities. The Germans frequently said that there was “Proof” that Jewish people were subhuman. Slaveholders 190 years ago said that black people were subhuman. “The science” imprisoned Galileo for claiming that our planet orbited the sun. So, what are you telling yourself?
There are motivational speakers who make millions speaking to groups hoping to get pumped up. Most often, these individuals are salespeople and business leaders needing a good word to perform better at their professional pursuits. Some people pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to attend these events. These people are trying to create a new loop of thinking in their craniums.
If your job is based on pure commission sales, you cannot be shy. You must be able to believe in what you are selling. You must not only believe but have an enthusiasm for the gizmo, idea, or service that you are peddling. My dad was a salesman, a pure commission salesman. He had to always stay motivated. Every sales call was to a potential customer. Dad had to be always on his “A” game.
What about your life? I know lots of radio people. Many of us are socially awkward. The only place that you can become “alive” is behind a microphone in a dark room. Many radio personalities give themselves affirmations to make the magic happen. Sometimes these inside voices are as close to reality as Shaquille O’Neal is to being short. You need these voices, don’t you? Being real. I like that. Being real with yourself is the best you can be.
So, if you are to change the playlist in your head, what to do next? What are you telling yourself? Are your personal affirmations destructive? I think that we have all had negative thoughts going through our heads about ourselves. Some negative thoughts can be good. Are you too heavy, drinking too much, or smoking three packs a day? If you tell yourself that something is bad, it is a good thing sometimes.
There needs to be a solution, though. That is your new playlist. If you are chunky, repeat after me: “I am not hungry. I should go to the gym or for a walk.” Repeating these things in your mind can begin a change in your life. Taking a class can help you. It allows you to get out of that rut. We only get one life. You cannot allow yourself to waste time on negativity.
The radio industry has been through a lot of challenges. Audience segmentation, automation, and updated ways to distribute content. It has been disruptive to us all. Seemingly, the changes can create uncertainties in our lives. These moments can be very good, but things change.
I remember receiving a demo from an amazing radio news anchor about 20 years ago. This guy was just awesome. I had an opening, and this guy would definitely help my station. So, I called him. The phone interview was just perfect. I was going to bring him to town.
Then, he told me something that was a deal breaker. The guy told me that he didn’t do computers. He didn’t like technology. If I hired him, I would need to have a technical producer for his news. Deal over. This guy didn’t like technology. I don’t think that it was in the Unabomber Style of hate. I told the potential employee that computer usage was essential and that he should take a class. He didn’t think that it was a good idea.
What are you telling yourself? What are your thoughts? If you repeat negativities, you cannot grow. Have you ever been on a blind date? You don’t know what to think, you hope to like the person, and you also think about the individual who set you up. If you have a bad date, will it hurt a friendship? So, whatever you are going through, push through it with positive affirmations. Tell yourself real things to help yourself win.
Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He recently served as program director for WHO/KXNO in Des Moines, IA. Prior to that role he held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
