Breaking Away From the Preconceived| Zale Mednick | 441

When we were young, we all thought we knew what life would be like when we grew up. Most of us were way off! Life is about more than preconceived notions and expectations. At some point, the steps we take should be a conscious choice, not simply a matter of following the "traditional path." It's important to change our societal expectations as our culture, lifestyle, and technology move forward. To examine ways to challenge traditional societal expectations, I've invited Zale Mednick to join me. Zale Mednick is an ophthalmologist by trade, and also host of the award winning podcast Preconceived and is also the editor of Preconceived: Challenging the Preconceptions in Our Lives. Zale shares how his journey to become a doctor took a turn when he stopped to consider pursuing interests and passions beyond his profession. He landed on the idea of a podcast, and took up the banner of investigating the preconceived notions that we rarely think to question. What holds us back? What "old" beliefs do we carry - preconceptions that aren't necessarily true anymore? While it's easy to get started with a podcast, sticking it out is often a challenge, and many podcasters stop creating by episode 25. Reaching out to friends and family, and asking them to sit for a podcast interview, gave Zack the confidence and experience he needed to build a reputation as a podcast host, broadening his guest list with people he didn't know. After having more than 100 guests, Zale thought the idea would work well as a book. He began to reach out to former guests , asking them to write essays, thought pieces, or short stories about the preconceived ideas they had challenged. 54 of them agreed to join him, and a book was born: Preconceived: Challenging the Preconceptions in Our Lives.   If you are tired of going through the motions and want to jump into something new, check out this insightful episode. It's sure to spark your passion and challenge your assumptions!    Three Key Takeaways: * Podcasts can take a long time to see results.  You need to commit for longer than logic might dictate you should. * Repurposing and resharing content is a time saving method to reach new audiences and grow your brand. * If you are looking for a change don't let fear hold you back. Find a low risk way to make the pivot.