Creative Cycle Seasons Every Podcaster Encounters
How Podcasting Creative Cycle Seasons Shape Your Journey and Sustain Your Why
If you’ve ever noticed that your podcasting journey isn’t a straight line. For example, some months are easier and more inspiring than others.
You’re not alone.
These are the natural rhythms every long-term podcaster experiences: from the energetic Planting season, into the steady Growth phase, through the rewarding Harvest, and finally, the essential season of Rest.
Understanding and embracing these predictable creative cycle seasons is the key to sustaining your podcast. Not by ignoring the ups and downs, but by working with them.
Let’s reconnect with your deeper podcast “why” and discover how to keep showing up with clarity and confidence, no matter which season you’re in.
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Here are three key takeaways:
- Podcast energy ebbs and flows naturally. Don’t mistake low-energy periods for failure—they’re a normal and valuable part of the process, not a reason to quit or feel guilty.
- Recognize the four podcasting creative cycle seasons:
- Planting (high excitement, new ideas)
- Growing (consistency and diligence)
- Harvest (seeing results, like growth or feedback)
- Rest (intentional pauses—plan them!)
- Align your actions to your current season. Whether you need consistency, patience, or a strategic rest, honoring your podcast’s current season keeps you in the game for years—not months.
FAQ's
What are the four natural creative cycle seasons of podcasting according to Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy?
The four natural podcasting seasons discussed are planting, growing, harvesting, and rest. Each season represents a different phase in the creative process, from high-energy beginnings to important periods of reflection and rejuvenation.
How can podcasters use seasonal rhythms to avoid burnout and stay consistent?
Podcasters can use seasonal rhythms by identifying their current season and adjusting their approach accordingly—embracing consistency during growing phases, planning intentional rest, and making the most of harvest periods—thus preventing burnout and supporting long-term sustainability.
Why do many podcasters misinterpret low-energy periods, and what mindset does Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy, recommend?
Many podcasters see low-energy periods as signs of failure, but Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy, encourages recognizing these as normal seasons. He recommends working with these natural rhythms instead of against them, allowing for intentional pauses and adjustments rather than guilt or forced effort.
You can book a clarity call with me. Just head over to My Podcast Guy and look for the Book A Clarity Call link. We’ll talk through where you’re stuck, what your real why might be, and how to build your podcast around it.
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Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action, and apply yourself.
Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.
Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants business website.
Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle 270 Media® strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.
Email us at podcasts@circle270media.com to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.
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Transcript
The Seasons of Podcasting Because Podcasting is not a straight line.
Brett Johnson:Welcome back to The Podcast Why. I'm Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy, your trusted
Brett Johnson:friend in podcasting. This show is here to help you reconnect with the real why
Brett Johnson:behind your podcast so you can keep showing up with clarity and
Brett Johnson:confidence. This is Season five, Episode three. Season five
Brett Johnson:is entitled Sustaining your why over the Long Game. It's built for
Brett Johnson:the podcaster who's been at it for a and needs to stay in it. It
Brett Johnson:covers the evolution of the why, the comparison trap, natural podcasting
Brett Johnson:seasons, guest strategy, using listener feedback as a
Brett Johnson:strategic mirror, navigating life interruptions, and closing with the
Brett Johnson:recommitment review framework. This is episode three, as I mentioned,
Brett Johnson:and we're going to be talking about natural podcasting seasons. If
Brett Johnson:you've been podcasting for a while, even just a year or two, you already
Brett Johnson:know that it doesn't feel the same every month. There are stretches where ideas
Brett Johnson:come easily, recording feels natural, and the show has a momentum you can
Brett Johnson:almost feel. And then there are other stretches where everything
Brett Johnson:takes more effort, the inspiration is harder to find, and you're
Brett Johnson:publishing out of commitment rather than enthusiasm. Most
Brett Johnson:podcasters interpret this unevenness as a problem. They assume
Brett Johnson:the low energy stretches mean something is wrong with the show, with their
Brett Johnson:content, with them. So they either push through and
Brett Johnson:white knuckle their way to consistency, or they stop and feel guilty
Brett Johnson:about stopping. What 10 years of working along podcasters has taught
Brett Johnson:me is that neither response is necessary, because
Brett Johnson:what most podcasters are experiencing isn't a failure. It's
Brett Johnson:seasons. Podcasting has natural rhythms, just like any
Brett Johnson:sustained creative and business practice. And the sooner you recognize
Brett Johnson:those rhythms for what they are, predictable, manageable,
Brett Johnson:and even useful, the better equipped you are to stay in the game for
Brett Johnson:years instead of burning out in months. Let me
Brett Johnson:describe the four seasons I've observed most consistently in long
Brett Johnson:term podcasters. The first is what I call the planting season,
Brett Johnson:the early phase of a show or a new direction within an
Brett Johnson:existing show. Energy is high, everything feels new, and the work
Brett Johnson:has a natural momentum driven by novelty and excitement. This
Brett Johnson:is when your podcast why it feels most obvious and most motivating.
Brett Johnson:Enjoy it, but don't mistake it for your permanent baseline.
Brett Johnson:The second is the growing season, the long middle stretch
Brett Johnson:where the work becomes more routine, the show is established, the process
Brett Johnson:is familiar, the energy is steadier but quieter. This is
Brett Johnson:where many podcasters start to question themselves because the excitement
Brett Johnson:has faded and the results are growing steady, slowly. This
Brett Johnson:is actually where the real work happens and where a clear
Brett Johnson:why does its most important job keeping you
Brett Johnson:moving when the novelty is gone. The third is harvest.
Brett Johnson:Those periods when the accumulated work pays off in visible ways.
Brett Johnson:A spike in metrics, A new client who found you through an old
Brett Johnson:episode. A speaking invitation. A viral moment. This season
Brett Johnson:reminds you why the growing season was worth it. And the fourth
Brett Johnson:is rest. Intentional pauses? Reduced output, or
Brett Johnson:quieter periods of reflection. These aren't failures, they're part of
Brett Johnson:the cycle. The podcasters I've worked with who build the longest running
Brett Johnson:shows are the ones who learn to rest with intention rather than
Brett Johnson:collapse from exhaustion. Here's how to use this
Brett Johnson:framework Practically take a look at your podcasting history. Even
Brett Johnson:just the last 12 months, can you identify which season you were in at
Brett Johnson:different points? Were there harvest moments you didn't fully recognize as
Brett Johnson:such? Were there growing season stretches you mistook for
Brett Johnson:stagnation? Now look ahead. What season are
Brett Johnson:you in right now and what does this season call for?
Brett Johnson:If you're in a growing season, it calls for consistency and patience. If you're moving
Brett Johnson:toward rest, plan it. Don't wait for burnout to force it.
Brett Johnson:If you're entering a new planting season, give yourself permission to to
Brett Johnson:let some energy and excitement back in your podcast. Why is what
Brett Johnson:carries you through every season, but understanding which season
Brett Johnson:you're in helps you show up the right way for each one.
Brett Johnson:That's how you build a podcast that lasts, not by pretending the seasons
Brett Johnson:don't exist, but by working with them instead of against them.
Brett Johnson:You can book a Clarity call with me. Just head over to my podcast guy
Brett Johnson:online and look for the book a Clarity Call link. It will map your podcast
Brett Johnson:why to your business and your business to your podcast so it all
Brett Johnson:feels coherent. Thanks for listening to The Podcast Why. I'm Brett
Brett Johnson:Johnson, My Podcast Guy and I'll talk to you in the next episode.
