Milestones are funny things. Reaching 100 episodes of a podcast might look like a major triumph, but the number itself is arbitrary. It’s easy to get swept up in the illusion of progress that digits create—followers, likes, bank balances. Numbers feel concrete, measurable, and reassuring. But for most artists, they’re also a trap.
“When you chase the numbers, you never get to the finish line.”
The truth is, numbers don’t give you meaning. They represent something else—validation, security, status—but they can’t provide purpose. That’s why so many creative journeys lose their spark when they become number-chasing games. You might get what you thought you wanted, only to realize it leaves you hollow.
So when I look back at 100 episodes of Be a Better Artist, I don’t see a tally. I see lessons about persistence, humility, and the pursuit of meaning over metrics.
Numbers vs. Meaning
Every artist hits the moment when they ask, “Does anyone care? Does this matter?” The numbers are seductive because they appear to answer those questions for us. But the truth is, they never really do.
Instead, the deeper question is: What kind of positive change do I want to see in the world?
And the harder one: Am I willing to start by making that change in myself?
This is why I make the podcast I wish had existed when I was 18, lost and uncertain. It’s for me as much as it is for you. Because when we create something that genuinely speaks to us, we’re far more likely to create something that resonates with others too.
“Focus on the change you want to see—not the numbers you want to reach.”
The Muscle of Persistence
If there’s one quality that has carried me through 100 episodes, it’s persistence. Not talent, not luck, not even inspiration—just the refusal to stop.
Persistence is a muscle, one you train over time. It’s what gets you back on the horse after a break or a failure. Starting again is always the hardest part. Physics even teaches us this: it takes the most energy to get an object moving, but far less to keep it in motion.
Most people quit in the early stages when momentum is hardest to build. That’s why persisting—even when it’s clumsy, messy, and unglamorous—is such a creative superpower.
“If you can get back into the fight time and time again, you are mentally far stronger than most people.”
Persistence doesn’t mean stubbornly sticking to something that isn’t working. It means knowing the difference between a dead end and a worthwhile mission. And if it’s the latter, then persistence becomes your shield against the dark whispers telling you to give up.
Relative Perfection
Artists obsess over perfection. But absolute perfection is impossible—it’s an ideal only infinite time, money, and resources could buy. For most of us, the pursuit of “perfect” quickly becomes a roadblock.
That’s why I think in terms of relative perfection: doing the best work I can within the limits of time, tools, and energy I have.
“You can see a ton of errors in your work and still be proud of it.”
Pride in your work doesn’t come from flawlessness. It comes from knowing you’ve given everything you could in that moment. And it’s that process—progress over perfection—that allows us to actually finish, to move forward, and to grow.
Without this mindset, you burn out chasing an impossible ideal. With it, you build a body of work that documents your evolution as an artist.
Connection Over Counts
The comments and messages I’ve received from listeners mean far more than download statistics ever could. A single person saying, “This episode helped me,” outweighs a hundred faceless listens.
I even keep a list of such comments—a personal reminder that what I’m doing isn’t meaningless. In the darker hours, when doubt creeps in, those words are proof that the work matters to someone.
“If I change one person’s life for the better, mission accomplished.”
That’s the metric that sustains me. Not views, not downloads—impact.
The Long Game
Real connection takes time. Just as with relationships, trust isn’t built overnight. Audiences need to see consistency: not just in content, but in values. They need to know who you are, what you stand for, and that you mean it.
That’s why numbers can’t be the focus. You can grow quickly with hacks, but authentic connection only comes with patience.
When I picture my current audience—a few hundred people a month—I try to imagine them walking beside me in the forest. That’s a lot of people. That’s a tribe. And if even one person walks away changed, then the mission is fulfilled.
Final Thoughts
One hundred episodes isn’t about the number—it’s about what it represents: persistence through failure, the courage to create with meaning, and the humility to focus on impact over vanity.
Numbers will always tempt us, but they’re hollow idols. Meaning, growth, and connection—that’s what sustains us.
Prefer to watch or listen? 🎥
🔴 Youtube: https://youtu.be/pSJXDcghczY
🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bDUaggPpPSeEBA8cliL8H?si=170aed4643df450b
🟣 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-100-podcast-episodes-taught-me/id1528017679?i=1000729252927
